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NewsDay

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Zipra vets hunt for their properties

Politics
ZIPRA war vets last week vowed to hunt for their properties which were reportedly clandestinely repossessed by government soon after independence in 1980.

ZIPRA war veterans last week vowed to hunt for their properties which were reportedly clandestinely repossessed by government soon after independence in 1980.

Report by Silas Nkala

In an interview, Zipra Veterans’ Trust chairperson Buster Magwizi said they had properties under Nitrum Investment Holdings which comprised farms and buildings.

Magwizi said some of their properties taken by the Zanu PF government after independence were allegedly sold and Zipra failed to repossess them.

“During the annual general meeting (AGM) held at one of our properties, Castle Arms Hotel in Bulawayo, we resolved to investigate all properties that belonged to Zipra. We are looking for the title deeds of the allegedly sold properties in efforts to repossess them,” Magwizi said.

He said the properties which were supposed to take care of Zipra veterans after the war were grabbed, leaving them wallowing in poverty as they had not benefited from their sale. Magwizi said the only properties that remained in Zipra’s possession, but whose operations were not clear, were Castle Arms, Nest Egg building properties in Bulawayo and Hawton Farm in the Midlands. He said their investigations had established that another property, Ascot Farm in Solusi, was sold to a Bulawayo businessman who had reportedly admitted that the transaction had been done unprocedurally.

Magwizi said another Zipra farm, Youth Gland in Nyamandlovu, also changed hands illegally.

“We will look for anything that belonged to Zipra and repossess it. Those who are renting our properties illegally will be removed because Zipra veterans are not benefiting from them,” he added.