Another farming family evicted as invasions continue

By Alex Bell
05 June 2009

Yet another farming family in Chegutu have been forced to turn their backs on their land and livelihood, after being forcibly and illegally evicted in the name of so called land reform.

The Keevil family’s land, Dodhill Farm, has been snatched and placed in the hands of the brother of the Chegutu Lands Officer, after months of intense harassment that started in November 2008. Abel Kunonga and fellow land invader Nyasha Chikafu, have mercilessly hounded the Keevils to their recent eviction, despite numerous High Court orders issued since November protecting the Keevils’ right to their land. Chegutu police openly ignored the court orders, only reacting with speed and assertion to arrest the farm’s workers, who acted to prevent Kunonga and an accompanying youth from stealing fuel off the farm. The workers were arrested and kept behind bars for more than a week, for nothing more than trying to protect the land.

Dodhill Farm invasion at a glance:

- First attacks in November 2008 led by Abel Kunonga, brother of Chegutu Lands Officer, Clever Kunonga.
- High Court issues numerous orders on the Keevils’ behalf since November, but all are ignored
- Chegutu police openly ignore the ongoing attacks and court orders, only responding to arrest the farm’s workers who tried to stop Kunonga and other invaders from stealing fuel
- Farm workers spend more than a week behind bars
- Supreme Court Justice Chidyausiku rules against the Keevils in May, paving way for fast track farmer prosecution
- Keevils ordered to the leave their land by the court

Last month, Supreme Court Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku, ruled against the Keevils, who were dragged to court by their oppressors for remaining on the land. The Chief Justice effectively paved the way for the fast track prosecution and eviction of farmers, systematically destroying the arguments the Keevils had in their defence. The Keevils have now been forced to leave their productive, successful farm in the hands of an inexperienced land thief, who ironically has contacted Sam Keevil for assistance on how to run the farm.

The renewed offensive against the country’s remaining commercial farmers has hit the Chegutu farming community the hardest. Almost all farmers in the area are facing prosecution for continuing farming activities, or are dealing with state sponsored land invasions and harassment. All five of the most productive and successful farms in Chegutu have been almost completely taken over and production halted by invaders, led by ZANU PF loyalists. On these farms alone, more than 1300 farm workers have lost their jobs, and more than 5000 Zimbabweans, dependent on Chegutu’s farm operations, have been left penniless and destitute.

The invasions and devastating consequences of the attacks come as the unity government remains unwilling to take action to intervene. Robert Mugabe has naturally defended the attacks in the name of his ‘land-reform’ programme, which has all but destroyed the critical agriculture sector in Zimbabwe. Most shockingly, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who is set to embark on a cross-continental tour to ‘improve international economic relations’, has downplayed the attacks.

While the desperate bid to win financial favour continues, ordinary Zimbabweans continue to suffer, and until the land attacks are stopped and food production is encouraged, the suffering will continue.