via Mugabes grab more land in Mazowe May 30, 2014 by Elias Mambo/Herbert Moyo Zimbabwe Independent
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe’s wife, Grace, who is embroiled in controversy over a succession of land grabs in Mazowe, has now taken over another farm in the area, allegedly displacing hundreds of families and ordering the destruction of a newly constructed service station within the farm.
Grace is building an opulent three-storey mansion at Mapfeni Farm, which is opposite her orphanage and the Amai Mugabe Junior School in Mazowe where she evicted close to 300 families in 2012. The mansion is nearing completion.
The three-storey mansion being built by First Lady Grace Mugabe at Mapfeni Farm in Mazowe.
Mapfeni Farm stretches from Mazowe Hotel to Mazowe High School along the Old Mazowe Road.
Investigations by the Zimbabwe Independent revealed that all farmers resettled on the farm during the chaotic land reform programme that started in 2000 have been booted out.
“The Chinese started constructing this house in mid-January last year and they have hardly stopped; as you can see they are putting final touches to the roof,” said a resettled farmer who was evicted and now stays close to Bindura.
When this paper arrived at the farm on Wednesday, Chinese contractors were busy putting final touches to the roof of the impressive mansion.
The entrance to the residence, which was heavily guarded by army, police and plain clothes security officers, has two conical towers similar to the Great Zimbabwe towers on either side of the gate.
The two towers are built with granite rock without mortar. A high security wall, just over two metres high, has been erected.
Top government sources said Grace ordered riot police to demolish the filling station after the owner had threatened to take the matter to the courts.
“Police were called from Glendale and Mvurwi to assist their Mazowe colleagues destroy the garage,” said the source. “They arrived in the morning armed with pick handles and they tore down the whole service station’s garage including new pumps which had been installed.”
Mugabe’s family has been linked to the on-going eviction of over 900 families at Manzou Farm in Mazowe, amid reports that the First Family wants to annex the property and turn it into a wildlife sanctuary.
This follows a similar raid in 2013 where police evicted a traditional healer, Mary Kazunga, believed to be a spirit medium of liberation war heroine Mbuya Nehanda, and close to 300 other families in Mazowe.
The First Lady has also grabbed Mazowe Citrus Estate, taking over 800 hectares of land belonging to Interfresh.
Grace’s land grabs have left Interfresh tottering on the brink of collapse, while investors were scurrying for cover fearing their money would sink in an increasingly unviable enterprise being destroyed by the unceasing land confiscations.
Documents seen by this paper at the time showed Interfresh had total land holdings of 3 800 hectares. Grace had taken 870 hectares (23%), leaving Interfresh with 2 930 hectares (77%).
.At the height of the land reform programme, Mugabe castigated his inner circle for multiple farm ownership, advocating a “one man, one farm” policy.
Just a fortnight ago, Mugabe railed against security chiefs who have grabbed Save Conservancy, accusing them of being greedy after benefitting from the land reform programme.
But in a typical Orwellian fashion, the Mugabes are amassing land in Mashonaland Central province in violation of the “one man, one farm” credo.
In January, the Mugabes took over Spelenken Farm, also in Mazowe.
Heavily armed police arrived at the farm as early as 4am and had by 2pm loaded up settlers onto police trucks and drove them off to unknown destinations.
“The whole Mazowe area now belongs to the First Family. The land stretches from Westgate along old Mazowe road, and now Mapfeni has been taken over, so have Mazowe dam and Interfresh land,” said another evicted farmer.
Minister of State for Provincial Affairs in Mashonaland Central Martin Dinha has publicly promised the Mugabes more land in his province.
“The land is no longer sufficient to sustain the projects the First Lady has on her sleeves,” Dinha said at the official opening of the Amai Mugabe Junior School at the orphanage centre.
“We are working on the papers to stretch the land so that she can have more land to do her projects. Some people might say ‘The First Lady is greedy, why does she want more land?’, but we are saying it is justified for her to have more land.”
Efforts to get comment from Dinha were fruitless as calls went unanwered and text messages were not responded to.
COMMENTS
Soon all they will own will be a prison cell as they are tried for treason which in zim law is punishable by death. Take heed zanupf. Be guided accordingly martin dinha china-masa kaukonde mliswa chiyangwa supaboy etc
Nice picture of the house. Maybe the US Air Force can use it as a targeting device and bomb it when the USA finally decides to sack Mugabe and overthrow the miserable Zanu-PF government. The millions of Zimbabweans are waiting for America’s support. When will she deliver help to them?
Indeginization is for mugabe…his wife..Chombo..Reward marufu…Mnagagwa..Joyce mjuru..Obert mpofu..Philip chiyangwa. mugabe’s children..Muatasa Mliswa..Jonathan “turncoat”.Moyo and the Zanu Mafia…As Ian Smith truly said…””Gangsters”
Welcome to the Mugabe dynasty. I have always maintained that our beloved country has been dispossessed by the Mugabe family. It is now their private property. A squatter turned a landlord, through fraud and deception.
Another horrible tasteless looking house – no honesty at all. I much prefer an honest hut that has a true connection with the land. Maybe a blue roof will help? Or gold bling gables? All show and no substance. MANNERS MAKETH MAN.
I think you see this in the right light.
To the so called first family of Zimbabwe. Read Micah Chapter 2:1-3. You have coveted fields and taken them by violence because it is in your power to do so and against this family God is devising a disaster from which you cannot remove your necks. Be warned. You are supposed to lead by example and hat example have you set. It has completely destroyed this nation and God is going to judge you. Be warned. You will not be able to bribe God. I strongly suggest that you repent. To whom much is given much is expected and you have set an abominable example to your nation.
Never these greedy thieving thugs will never repent until action is taken against them- they are just living their life in their bubble and do not give a stuff about anyone
Oh no, this is too much oppression of the silent majority taken for granted by the Mugabe family. Mazowe district belongs to the Shavas buried in the Shavarunzwi mountains. Grace is provoking everyone in Mazowe. Wake up Mhofus. This is beyond tolerance.
What do you do when they are backed by the armed forces, with the help of the Chinese and the Koreans? You stand no chance. These are desperate people, who will stop at nothing poisoning the entire nation, with acid gas.
And the next government will boot them off and so the cycle continues
ho ho could this be part of the property that Gadaffi owned. it seems his assests have disappeared and guess who is thought to have taken it ?? Mr. Fix it (Gono anda man named as Enoch Kamushinda who is believed to be based in malaysia controllingBobs Asian accounts. analysts believe there is where gaddaffi’s loot has been statshed . Kamushinda is a successful businessman in his own right and former chief executive officer of Metropolitan Bank in the Capital
imagine stealing from your dead friend?
http://www.wwthetelescopenews.com/index.php/africa/3227-gadaffi-s-millions-vanish-to-gono -and…
according to the report Gadaffi owned some 96.6 million shares which represent 14.12% of the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe (CBZ) making him the biggest individual shareholder. this bank is now controlled by a south african bank with a majority shareholding of 35% which has links to Mugabe and Mr. Fixit (Gono)
The report also mentions mengistu Haile Marian from ethiopia who has been found guilty of genocide and Protais Mpiranya a former head of Rwandas presidential Guard during the 1994 genocide who are roaming the streets of the capital SCOTFREE ooh ooh
perhaps it was taken from the Cookie Jar
Bob and Fixit are presumed to have siphoned for personal use, undiscolsed amounts of hard currency running into millions which Gadaffi moved to zimbabwe
The thug friend Gadaffi is reported to have bought farms in the Mazowe area
I used to pass the “Mazoe Citrus Estates”, then part owned by Outspan of South Africa, so beautiful, lush, dripping with delicious fruit, ablaze with sweet smelling orange blossom…
The surrounding farms rich with heavy laden mealie crops, waving tobacco leaves and fat Hereford cattle.
The Mazoe Dam bobbing with small fishing boats and pleasure craft, picnickers on the shoreline, children running around half naked and happy…
Now it smells of a a putrid, rotting Jezebel, and her thieving whores. Her Gono-rrhea lover smelling of chicken-sh*t visits her when the Old Fart is dozing off.
What a travesty these Mubarbages…..now it’s all gone!
God knows!