High Court stops repossession of Kasukuwere farm




Saviour Kasukuwere
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THE High Court last week quashed government’s decision to seize former Local Government minister and Zanu-PF political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere’s Mazowe Farm.

But despite the court order, Interfresh yesterday reportedly deployed its security personnel at the farm in a bid to take over the harvesting of oranges.

Government, through Agriculture and Lands minister Perrence Shiri, announced late last year it was repossessing Kasukuwere’s Concopia Farm, claiming the land was being underutilised.

However, there have been concerns that this was part of efforts by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration to victimise its political opponents.

Kasukuwere was a key member of the G40 faction that was targeted by a military coup in November 2017 that saw the ouster of the later former President Robert Mugabe from power.

Shiri notified the exiled politician of government’s intention to repossess the farm measuring 535,94 hactares, saying it was part of government’s programme to downside farms. Kasukuwere then filed an urgent chamber application at the High Court seeking an order barring government from taking over the farm.

But High Court judge Justice Webster Chinamhora, in a ruling on Tuesday last week, found no merit in the government’s claims and gave an interdict barring Shiri from interfering with activities at the farm.

“The respondent (Shiri) is interdicted from interfering with the first applicant’s farming operations at the remainder of Concorpia Farm in Mazowe district of Mashonaland Central province measuring approximately 535,94 hectares, including requiring them to vacate the said property. The respondent shall not enforce the withdrawal of the offer letter in first applicant’s favour or do anything to interfere with the applicant’s farming operations on the farm,” the ruling, seen by NewsDay, read.

The court gave Shiri 10 days to respond to the judgment.

Mnangagwa has been accused of being vengeful after other former G40 members, notably former Information minister Jonathan Moyo and former Youth minister Patrick Zhuwao were also served with notices of eviction from their farms.

Several ministers linked to Mugabe were forced out of the country after the November 2017 military takeover.

Interfresh board chairman Lishon Chipango yesterday denied that his company had deployed the guards.

“I don’t know anything about that, If you want news from Mazowe, go there,” Chipango said.

But Kasukuwere confirmed the deployment of guards by Interfresh.

Source – newsday