By William Milasi
THE Zimbabwe National Army has moved in to kick out President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s neighbour in Kwekwe’s Sherwood farms after government has allocated Leader of Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide Revelation, Reverend Isaac Tititi Moyo’s farm to the army.
A distraught Moyo who is now camped at an open space outside the Midlands second city said land belongs to government and they have seen it fit to repossess the farm and give it to the army.
“I have nothing much to tell you except to point out that it is central government which owns land and gave me the piece of land and they are also the ones who have seen it fit to repossess the farm,” said Moyo.
Moyo has reportedly been reallocated another farm in Mvuma but is reluctant to take up the offer.
Farm supervisor Stewart Hlavati opened up to NewZimbabwe.com saying the place was fit for game as it was populated with wild animals.
“Reverend Moyo is a crop farmer and has been feeding the country from his produce. We do appreciate that government has found another place for us but this will be difficult for us to take up the place as it is populated with wild animals,” said Hlavati.
Hlavati said they were not given a reason of moving from their farm which is next to President Mnangagwa’s place.
“The army came to our farm on Saturday and told us that they wanted us to move from the place as they were now the owners after they were allocated the place by government. We are therefore moving our machinery from the farm to this place. We are also running around to find a place where we can keep our livestock and maize as it is now in the open space,” Hlavati said.
A letter in possession of this publication dated 05 June 2018 and signed by Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrence Shiri indicted that government was withdrawing the land offer from the cleric.
“Following the notice to withdraw your offer letter and the representative which you made to that effect, please be advised that the Minister of lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement is withdrawing their offer of land made to you in respect of subdivision measuring 250.00 hectares of Delvillewood
“The acquiring authority has concluded that the purpose for withdrawing outweighs the representations which you made.“You are therefore notified of the immediate withdrawal of the offer of Subdivision 1 of Delvillewood measuring 250.000 hectares.
“You are required to cease all or any operations that you may have commenced thereon and vacate the said piece of land within 90 days,” Shiri said.
In another letter, government indicated that the said piece of land was being awarded to the army.
In a letter dated 20 June 2018 and again signed by Shiri, the contents of the letter read, “I am pleased to offer to the Headquarters 5 Brigade, the following farm which was compulsorily acquired in Kwekwe District, Midlands province for use by the Headquarters 5 Brigade.
“Please note that the land in question is for institutional use by Headquarters 5 Brigade, Kwekwe Midlands province and shall remain state land on which terms and conditions for state land apply,” the letter read.
However, Moyo has in the past been followed by his own controversy after he has reportedly been accused of harassing neighbours to his Sherwood farm
In 2014, some 500 villagers gathered at the then Vice President Mnangagwa’s Precab Farm demanding that Moyo be evicted from his farm accusing him of being cruel to his neighbours and their livestock
In 2015 Moyo sued Chief Samambwa and his seven subjects for $300 000 over allegations of defamation after more than 500 resettled farmers from Sherwood staged a peaceful demonstration at Mnangagwa’s farm seeking his eviction.
