AG gives ministers deadline to return Kondozi equipment

AG gives ministers deadline to return Kondozi equipment

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By Lebo Nkatazo

ZIMBABWE'S Attorney General has given five cabinet ministers up to June 19 to return farming equipment looted from a key hoticultural farm or face arrest.

The five ministers -- Didymus Mutasa (National Security), Joseph Made (Agriculture), Christopher Mushohwe (Transport), Munacho Mutezo (Water) and Mike Nyambuya (Manicaland Governor) -- have so far defied mounting political pressure to cling on to their loot.

Mushohwe last week returned pumps and pipes to Kondozi Farm in Manicaland, but he is still illegally taping water from the farm.

Mushohwe and Made first invaded the farm on Christmas eve in 2003.

In a letter shown to New Zimbabwe.com Monday addressed to the Member in Charge of Mutare Police, Snr Ass Commissioner Ronald Muderedzwa, the AG said the equipment should be returned to the nearest police station.

Sources said Muderedzwa traveled to Harare two weeks ago for a meeting with Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri to receieve instructions.

Chihuri was given a copy of the letter from the AG, but it could not be established if he had sanctioned his officers to quizz the ministers.

Sources said a faction of Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu PF party in Manicaland led by Oppah Muchinguri, who is a confidante of Vice President Joice Mujuru, was pressing for the prosecution of the ministers.

Pressure mounted on the five ministers two months ago when during a tour of Kondozi, Mujuru was told of the looting after questioning army officials at the estate on why the farm’s projects were collapsing.

Mujuru, who chairs the National Economic Recovery Council, pushed for the revival of Kondozi as one of the major objectives of the National Economic Development Programme that expires in December.

Kondozi was seized from Edwin Moyo and the De Klerk family in 2004 and handed to Arda, although it's currently being run by soldiers under a government Operation Maguta.

Kondozi, a once-thriving horticultural concern in Manicaland, now lies in ruins after most of the equipment was removed, paralysing operations.

The looted equipment includes 48 tractors, four Scania trucks, five UD trucks, several T35 trucks and 26 motorbikes. Several tonnes of fertilisers and chemicals were also lost.

The High Court in May 2004 granted Barclays an order to repossess all movable farming equipment at Kondozi Estate.

Movable assets listed in the court order included an ERF 30-tonne truck, two-tonne forklifts, 30 motorised knapsacks, 10 Jialings, 15 Same tractors, six Nissan Diesel UD 90 chassis & cab trucks, three Nissan Cabstar 4-tonne trucks, two Nissan 2,7 S/cab trucks and two Nissan 2,7 Hardbody D/cabs.

Barclays-Fincor, together with Zimbank-Syfrets and the African Banking Corporation were the chief sponsors of Kondozi which had established lucrative export markets in South Africa and Europe.
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