CHIEF Khayisa Ndiweni’s widow, Agnes Masuku-Ndiweni, has approached President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s office, demanding compensation for her family’s 200 head of cattle allegedly grabbed at the height of the land reform programme.
BY SILAS NKALA
She claimed the beasts were stolen from the late Ndebele paramount chief’s Ntabazinduna Farm during the chaotic land reform programme sanctioned by former President Robert Mugabe in the early 2000s.
Early this month, Masuku-Ndiweni, through lawyers from Mathonsi Ncube Law Chambers, wrote to Mnangagwa demanding restitution of the beasts.
She claimed several efforts to meet Mnangagwa in person, both in Bulawayo and Harare over the issue had hit a brickwall, hence, the decision to engage him through her lawyers.
“This debt was acknowledged by the late Vice-President John Nkomo in 2010 at the funeral of the late chief,” the lawyers wrote.
“The Ndiweni clan of Ntabazinduna and, especially ugogo uMasuku, was wishing to establish what progress has been made in this regard. Your Excellency, the Ndiweni clan and ugogo uMasuku would be most grateful if the outstanding matters could be expedited at an opportune moment.”
The family started piling pressure for the return of the cattle in 2010, with Wilson Bancinyane Ndiweni projecting that the beasts should by now be over 500 in number.
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“The question is: had these cattle not been stolen, how many would they be now? It is obvious there were cows among the stolen stock which would have bred.” The lawyers are still waiting for response from the government.
