THE High Court has ordered government and officials from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) to stop interfering with former MDC-T legislator, Edmore Marima’s safari business in Manicaland province.
BY KENNETH NYANGANI
Justice Tawanda Chitapi granted the order on Tuesday after Marima filed an urgent chamber application last month to stop ZimParks from evicting him and taking over his Mapari Rest Resorts.
In his application, Marima cited ZimParks, its Manicaland regional manager and Environment, Water and Climate minister Oppah Muchinguri as respondents.
Marima, of Kupuka Hospitality Limited t/a Mapari Rest Resorts, was represented by Passmore Nyakureba.
“We appeared in court yesterday (Tuesday) representing Marima to argue the urgency of the matter. Although they raised some defence, as they had filed their notice of opposition, they eventually consented to the granting of the order we were seeking, which effectively means ZimParks cannot go ahead and evict our client as they have threatened to do,’’ the lawyer said yesterday.
“Surely, our government cannot take a business from a fellow black person and in this case a Zimbabwean. This is not the land reform we know, we are prepared to fight for our client, so that he enjoys his business,’’ he said.
Nyakureba claimed that sometime last month, about 15 armed ZimParks rangers stormed the resort, claiming the government had taken over the business.
