Less than two weeks ago, the party’s politburo directed that the scores of individuals who had parcelled out plots for themselves in the conservancy must move out and relinquish ownership of the wild-life rich area to the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks), together with the 25-year leases and hunting licences they had been given.
The politburo order also insisted that it would respect the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (Bippas) that protected foreigners who had invested in the conservancy areas. These include Sango, Sabi, Chishakwe, Masapasi, Makore, Gunundwe and Chamurwe ranches that are owned by German, Danish, Dutch and South African nationals.
Among the military figures who obtained plots in the conservancy are Retired Colonel Claudius Makova, Lieutenant-Colonel David Moyo, Major-General Gibson Mashingaidze and Assistant Commissioner Connel Dube.
The Masvingo Provincial Intelligence Officer, one Chibaya, Major-General Engelbert Rugeje and Brigadier-General Livingstone Chineka are also part of the team.
Other beneficiaries include the late Higher Education Minister Stan Mudenge, politburo member Nelson Mawema, Lands Minister Douglas Mombeshora, ex-Masvingo governor Titus Maluleke, Zanu (PF) central committee member Enock Porusingazi, Senator Shuvai Mahofa, Zaka East MP Samson Mukanduri and former legislators Ailess Baloyi, Abraham Sithole, Noel Mandebvu and Ronald Ndava.
Some of the party bigwigs and generals set to be affected by Mugabe’s order told The Zimbabwean they would defy his directive, dismissing the order as mere politicking.
“We are not going to move out and we have made our position known. The issue here is that we are being punished and yet some party officials including cabinet ministers have multiple farms and properties scattered around the country obtained during the land reform programme”, said a party stalwart who is set to be affected by the evictions.
Other beneficiaries interviewed said the eviction order, which seems to have no deadline, had been selectively made, as there were other properties and plots that needed similar attention but were being left out.
A senior army officer said the affected individuals had already convened meetings where it was agreed to defy Mugabe and his party. “We have agreed that we are not moving out unless the government establishes a land audit. Those who are found to be multiple farm owners should be stripped of their properties,” he said. Asked why the generals were defying their Commander-in-Chief, one of the military beneficiaries said: “This is a political not a military order.”
Mugabe has conceded that party heavyweights and top securocrats grabbed prime land during the redistribution exercise that displaced some 5,000 commercial farmers, purportedly to resettle thousands of land-hungry blacks, and drove smallholder farmers onto unproductive land. He has in the past accused his lieutenants of seizing more than one farm each and repeatedly called on them to surrender extra plots.
Critics say this defiance indicates Mugabe’s weakening hold on power. Mugabe has never followed through with disciplinary action against those who have disobeyed him. “They all know that Mugabe never takes the matter further when instructions are defied,” say the critics.
Post published in: News