Remaining white farmers under threat

By Tererai Karimakwenda
19 October, 2007

As we have reported, military, police and government officials are leading the current attacks on the remaining white farmers. In the sugar growing Lowveld area, the white farmers have already lost most of their land. Their houses and farm equipment are all they own now, but that is under threat after they were this week given 14 days to move out of their homes.

John Worsley Worswick of Justice for Agriculture said the evictions are illegal because the ‘new owners’ are bringing eviction orders from the Ministry of Agriculture, which has no authority to issue them. He said eviction through “jambanja” has continued while government pretends to be following the rule of law by taking a handful of farmers to court. 11 farmers were arrested this month and subpoenaed to a district magistrates court. Applications by lawyers for the case to be referred to the Supreme Court have been declined. Worswick said the court case gives the evictions the face of legality, while violent and illegal pressure continues.

Two weeks ago Masvingo Governor Willard Chiwewe closed the only dairy farm in Chiredzi. It was on a very productive farm owned by the Alford’s, whose 100-hectare property was reduced to 40 hectares over time as government allocated pieces of it to settlers.

Governor Chiwewe is believed to already have 5 other farms in Masvingo province. He has given the Alfords’ farm to his daughter, who allegedly harassed the couple until they finally packed up and moved out.

The dairy was known by villagers from miles away for its lacto milk and yoghurt. Given the ongoing food shortages, the lacto was an affordable meal for many families that queued at the gates. The farm also produced about 1000 litres of milk per month, and a crop of oranges, vegetable seed and high quality sugar cane. The surrounding community that relied on these products now joins the rest of Zimbabwe in a search for milk, and other basic staple foods.

Chiredzi farmer and activist Gerry Whitehead said teams of Lands Officers are going around and forcibly making inventories of the farmers’ equipment. Whitehead himself was visited by one such team at his company Whitro Engineering in Chiredzi this week. He said the two Lands Officers who approached him failed to show any identification, and he refused to give permission.