via Bulawayo24 NEWS | Over 100 Zanu-PF supporters invade game reserve 11 July 2014
The invasion follows a statement by President Robert Mugabe last week that whites should not be allowed to own land in Zimbabwe.
When Southern Eye visited the game reserve yesterday, more than 100 people, including women and children clad in Zanu PF regalia, were preparing food at the main shed of the game reserve. They told Southern Eye that they had seized the land saying council was keeping it on behalf of white people.
One of the invaders, who only identified himself as Dube, said they had been sent by their party’s provincial leaders to occupy the land.
“Sizothatha amasimu (we are here to grab the land). We were given the go ahead to occupy this land by our leaders at provincial level and we are here for good,” Dube said.
They said their occupation of the game and nature reserve was long overdue as they had been waiting for land for a long time and this time no one would remove them.
Last year, about 35 Zanu PF activists invaded the game reserve and partitioned some stands for themselves, but they were evicted by police. A source said Pumula police visited Mazwi and only recorded statements before filing a report for their commanders who will make a decision on the action the law enforcement agency would take.
“The Mazwi invasion is being dealt with by senior commanders and it will be up to them whether the police will evict the invaders. It’s a sensitive issue,” said the source.
Bulawayo mayor Martin Moyo said Mazwi belongs to council and those that had occupied it had no right to be there as people could not settle on municipal land haphazardly without proper planning and procedure.
“Our rangers told us that some people occupied the land after being given the go ahead by their party after we dealt with them last year. As council we will seek redress through the courts because the land needs to be distributed through correct procedures and not invasions,” Moyo said.
However, Bulawayo Zanu PF provincial administrator Eliphas Mashaba distanced his party’s provincial leadership from chaos unfolding at Mazwi saying their programmes did not include land invasions.
Mashaba said people could wear Zanu PF regalia, but that did not make them party supporters. – See more at: http://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-national-byo-50379.html#sthash.5k5mkLJY.dpuf
MORE than 100 Zanu PF supporters invaded Mazwi Game and Nature Reserve in St Peter’s on the western outskirts of Bulawayo on Monday allegedly with the blessing of the party’s provincial leadership.
Mazwi is owned by the Bulawayo City Council through the City of Kings Business Ventures.
The invasion follows a statement by President Robert Mugabe last week that whites should not be allowed to own land in Zimbabwe.
When Southern Eye visited the game reserve yesterday, more than 100 people, including women and children clad in Zanu PF regalia, were preparing food at the main shed of the game reserve. They told Southern Eye that they had seized the land saying council was keeping it on behalf of white people.
One of the invaders, who only identified himself as Dube, said they had been sent by their party’s provincial leaders to occupy the land.
“Sizothatha amasimu (we are here to grab the land). We were given the go ahead to occupy this land by our leaders at provincial level and we are here for good,” Dube said.
They said their occupation of the game and nature reserve was long overdue as they had been waiting for land for a long time and this time no one would remove them.
Last year, about 35 Zanu PF activists invaded the game reserve and partitioned some stands for themselves, but they were evicted by police. A source said Pumula police visited Mazwi and only recorded statements before filing a report for their commanders who will make a decision on the action the law enforcement agency would take.
“The Mazwi invasion is being dealt with by senior commanders and it will be up to them whether the police will evict the invaders. It’s a sensitive issue,” said the source.
Bulawayo mayor Martin Moyo said Mazwi belongs to council and those that had occupied it had no right to be there as people could not settle on municipal land haphazardly without proper planning and procedure.
“Our rangers told us that some people occupied the land after being given the go ahead by their party after we dealt with them last year. As council we will seek redress through the courts because the land needs to be distributed through correct procedures and not invasions,” Moyo said.
However, Bulawayo Zanu PF provincial administrator Eliphas Mashaba distanced his party’s provincial leadership from chaos unfolding at Mazwi saying their programmes did not include land invasions.
Mashaba said people could wear Zanu PF regalia, but that did not make them party supporters.
COMMENTS
Munongosiya vanhu vachingomera pese pese kunge hova nekufamba kwenguva mozoti takudemolisher kunge musikuona zvirikuitika. Prevention is better than cure.
Perhaps they will get eaten by lions
Its the Zanu way. his lordship Mugabe must be excited.
his lordship must be excited because he is the one giving the orders for them to do it – evil vindictive geriatic
Be patient friends justice will prevail and those fools think they have a blessing , it will be for jail for a long time even before bob goes . They are thinking for today not for Tommorow
A loot a continua
Kkkkkkkk vaivepi pakapiwa vamwe minda
What a bunch of airheads. no wonder Zimbabwe is fling off a cliff. ZPF should resign in shame. God is watching. The sword of judgment moves ever closer. Be warned and repent!
ZANU PF desist from a culture of campaigning through violence and racial discrimination. Remember the future destroys the past. ZANU PF you are living in the past and through the past you shall definitely see your end. The nation is marching towards the future while you are marching back to your destructive past. Remember the saying, give a fool the rope to hang himself. It is indeed foolish for ZANU PF to be embarking on fruitless and futile polices which benefits nobody. It is said wine matures with age. You have not matured 34 years after independence. You need self introspection.
They should invade Bobs residence and see how he will deal with it
They will leave. They will leave when they have killed all the game and cut down all the trees.
That poor bleeding country run by a madman and his mad cohorts intent on nothing but power and wealth. With one exception, are there any other leaders left in Africa? Don’t look at the AU. They support this madness. Little wonder the Chinese are marching in and when they have completed their takeover, the endless wailing, will then begin.
Now even the monkeys and baboons can sit in the trees and shake their heads at this lunacy.
Surely by now zanu must have learnt that you cannot just steal and expect repercussions be they pysical or knock on effects now zanu supporters have stolen land which brings in currency and provides bulawayo city council with much needed revenue . get the police out there and remove these theives by force or release a couple of hungry hyenas and lions in the park ,theft should not be used by zanu pf to gain political footings