via Zanu PF ‘mafia club’: Mliswa – NewsDay Zimbabwe May 6, 2015
HURUNGWE West independent parliamentary candidate Temba Mliswa yesterday denounced the ruling Zanu PF as a “mafia club” which applied dirty tactics to crush and silence its opponents and former members.
BY CHARLES LAITON
The former Zanu PF legislator made the comments soon after High Court judge Justice Chinembiri Bhunu ordered ruling party youths to move out of his Spring Farm in Karoi.
“The government is now stepping in at the last minute and people are in hospital, they are injured, they have broken limbs, you never replace those broken limbs,” Mliswa said in apparent reference to his four farm workers who were hospitalised on Sunday after they were brutally attacked by Zanu PF youths camped at his farm.
“ . . . not because you differ politically, then you must go for somebody’s farm. It’s behaving like a mafia, they go for where your heart is, they go and take your kids so that you act. So in taking my farm, it’s trying to take my heart so that I react.”
Justice Bhunu entered the judgment by consent after the alleged farm invaders Nigel Murambiwa, Chinjayi Kambuzuma, Tapiwa Masenda and Silas Chimbiro consented to leaving the property.
“I would never even encourage anybody to invest in agriculture for as long there is no rule of law and rule of law respected by the party itself because as a ruling party you want to ensure that your so-called programmes are successful,” Mliswa added.
Asked whether he would go back to the farm after the invaders have moved out, Mliswa said: “I don’t think that anyone would want to invest in any political farm. What this has basically proved is any Zanu PF politician is not worth investing with in terms of agriculture because the day that he goes on the wrong side of the party, his farm will be invaded, so it puts a dent on everything and I cannot continue like this.”
The former legislator said the invasion had disrupted operations and was an indictment on the entire land reform programme.
“It’s meant to empower, not to disempower. One cannot be spending money going to court on things done and incited by leaders who should be protecting this government and the land reform programme,” he said.
Mliswa is contesting the June 10 by-election against Zanu PF’s Keith Guzah.
COMMENTS
But . . . he was a MEMBER of The Mafia for years and years. Howcome he’s just discovered it now?
Now he sees they are Mafia. While he was part of the Mafia he never acknowledged they were Mafia – did he speak out against what is being done to him during the many times he watched it happened to others. No he didn’t. How did he acquire his farm – through the very same Mafia. Be careful when you sup with the Devil. Now he wants to cry foul.