By Robert Tapfumaneyi

CELEBRATED sports minister Kirsty Coventry, who recently seized a farm from late president Robert Mugabe’s nephew, Robert Zhuwao has, according to MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa, badly tarnished her reputable international sports persona.

Addressing party supporters through an online rally Sunday, Chamisa said the recent move by Coventry to take over Zhuwao’s farm was an indication there was disregard of property rights in Zimbabwe.

“I saw Kirsty has also joined land grabbing. My sister, the great swimmer, she is now swimming into the farms,” Chamisa said.

“You go and swim in the farms, what is there in those farms? Property rights must be respected.

“An MDC Alliance government will make sure property rights are secured not that when a Zimbabwean has a farm someone from Zanu PF will just pop in and say let’s harvest the produce together,” Chamisa said.

“A country is not run like that, without the rule of law.”

The Olympic gold medalist joined President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s cabinet as Sports Minister in 2018.

However, she is under fire for accepting from the State, a 232-hectare farm that was recently seized from Zhuwao. The contested farm is in Zvimba district, Mashonaland West province.

Zhuwao is son to the late Sabina Mugabe, sister to the late former Zimbabwe strongman.

Late last year, lands minister Perrance Shiri ordered Zhuwao to vacate the farm arguing that he was in breach of conditions of his offer letter.

He was allocated the farm in 2004 under the government’s controversial land reform programme and in his appeal to the High Court against the seizure, he claims to have been using it productively.