Harare businessman Phillip Chiyangwa has appealed to the Supreme Court, challenging the confirmation of the compulsory acquisition of his 780-hectares of land near Waterfalls in Harare, by the Administrative Court last week.
The court ruled in favour of Lands and Rural Resettlement minister Herbert Murerwa, allowing co-operatives already allocated land at Orda Farm to continue their developments.
Pinnacle Holdings and Jetmaster Properties, both owned by Chiyangwa, had contested the compulsory acquisition by the government after the firms bought the land from its previous owners, and had issued eviction notices to the co-operatives.
However, Administrative Court senior president Herbert Mandeya’s ruling saved Chimurenga Pungwe Housing Co-operative members, who were facing eviction from Nyarungu Estate.
In his appeal, Chiyangwa argues the Lands ministry approached the court with “dirty hands” and as such had no right of audience until it had washed its hands.
He argues the ministry applied for an order at a time it had already caused resettlement on the land without due process.
He further says the continued occupation of the disputed land was in defiance of extant orders of the High Court prohibiting such conduct.
In a Press statement in response to the acquisition of the farms, Chiyangwa said: “What’s worrisome is that the acquired land is not going to benefit the purported low-income beneficiaries, but a motley crew of previously convicted illegal land peddlers and their poorly disguised and misguided political handlers.”
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The businessman said he had not acquired the properties, which the government intended to seize from him, as “political manna” and that “any attempt to negate my investment interest is robbery on the high noon on political coat-tails”.
