indicated to Ward 13 farmers that all former farm workers were to be regarded as their
workers and if the former farm workers refused to be workers they should leave the
area. On 24 August2015, Jerami came back secretly to the illegal farmers to demand
US$15 per household for them to continue staying and farming on the undesignated
land.
•
A land dispute rose in August between Chief Zvimba and Chief Ngezi. The land is
where Chegutu borders with Kadoma. Residents are forced to submit to Chief Zvimba
yet the land had been under Chief Ngezi in the past. It is alleged that Chief Zvimba
may be taking advantage of his relationship with President Mugabe to demand that
land. The matter has been taken to the Ministry of Local government.
•
Chief Magonde of Makonde is alleged to have been trying to acquire Pandora Farm in
Lion’s Den since 2013. He was reported to have sent youths to beat up and drive away
the white farm owner Douglas Terafin. The youths were driven away by the police.
However, in August 2015 he managed to get half of the land for re-distribution. The
Chief and his brother are now staying at the farm and he is alleged to have
commanded the white farmer to remove his wheat. The farmer begged for permission
to let him harvest the wheat. It has been reported that people are registering to get land
at the farm.
•
A security guard at ZMDC Fresh and Frozen Butchery in Chegutu West was allegedly
harassed by a group of war veterans led by one, Size Moyo, who demanded to see his
boss. The security guard replied that they could not see his boss. Moyo then said that
as owners of the land they could do whatever they wanted and ‘deal’ with him. The
guard called his boss, Mike Eastwood, out of fear and the war veterans indicated they
wanted cash for Heroes’ Day celebrations. Eastwood handed them US$20 on 9 August
2015.
•
On Heroes’ Day, two cases of harassment of MDC-T members were reported in
Chegutu West. Jabulani Phiri, a Zanu PF supporter, demanded that a female MDC-T
supporter produce a Zanu PF card at Heroes Acre in Chegutu before getting food.
Another MDC-T supporter was allegedly kicked out of the bus to Gadzema Heroes’
Acre because of his political affiliation. The perpetrator Tendai Phiri is understood to
have asked the victim to produce his party card.
•
Some Mhondoro Mubaira residents did not celebrate Heroes’ Day as a conflict arose
between the Zanu PF leaders and the villagers of Njatara area. The leaders were
accused of embezzling money meant for food and drinks. The villagers of Muzvarwi,
Chinengundu and Churu performed rituals to pay homage to their spirit medium at
Njatara and left the place. When the party leaders got to Njatara the people had
already left. Villagers of Muzvarwi led by Churu ordered the party leaders led by
Aggrey Chiweshe to leave with immediate effect on 10 August 2015. Hence no function
was held on Heroes’ Day as Chiweshe and other leaders could not respond to the
allegations and fled in their cars.
•
On 23 August 2015, a man was harassed for being aligned to Webster Shamu, the
Chegutu East legislator, who has been suspended from Zanu PF. A member of Zanu
19