“At the height of land invasions, soldiers who took part in the DRC campaign were promised top priority land allocation. As the agrarian reform exercise was chaotic, not all of the soldiers benefited,” said a colonel at army headquarters. He indicated that army units across the country were requested to forward names of deserving soldiers to the headquarters administration branch at KG V1 barracks in Harare.
“Unfortunately the land reform program turned into a commanders-grab-all exercise. Soldiers who were not on the ground received nothing. We were cheated and taken for a ride by the previous government,” said a sergeant based at the Presidential Guards Headquarters in Dzivarasekwa. The sergeant also revealed that some troops fighting in the DRC were given an opportunity to return home and grab some land for personal use.