Government has reportedly blocked war veterans in Mashonaland East Province from invading farms belonging to ousted Zanu PF provincial chairman Ray Kaukonde and the remaining white farmers until order and sanity is brought in the province.
BY Jairos Saunyama
Last week, a section of war veterans threatened to occupy the white-owned Warswick Farm, also known as Kwa Hozeki, near Sommerset in Marondera, before chickening out for undisclosed reasons.
This came after another group of war veterans had also threatened to occupy Kaukonde’s Murewa Farm, well known as Gejo RaRuby, before being blocked.
Sources said bogus war veterans planned to join the invasions. “The invasion of Kaukonde’s farm has been shelved because of the emergence of three groups of war veterans in the province, some of them bogus. This has caused confusion and relevant authorities had to stop them,” said the source.
“Secondly, there is a land audit that is taking place in the province and this will unearth more hidden land to be allocated to the landless.”
When asked about threats by war veterans to invade Kaukonde’s farm, Minister of State for Mashonaland East Province Joel Biggie Matiza last week said no one was going to do that.
“I am hearing this from you that war veterans are threatening to invade Kaukonde’s farm. I met the war veterans and nothing of that nature will happen without us knowing,” Matiza said.
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“We gave our chiefs land, and next in line are the war veterans who were promised 20% of the land. But we are just waiting for them (war veterans) to conclude their elections.”
One of the prominent war veterans leader, Patrick Makombe, refused to comment.
Kaukonde was fired for allegedly fanning factionalism in the province and plotting to topple President Mugabe together with the likes of former Vice President Joice Mujuru.
After Kaukonde’s ouster, war veterans have been threatening to take over his farm and others linked to his associates.
