Farm invaders’ leaders go into hiding

Police in Gweru last week arrested and later released seven suspects linked to the farm invasion, among them an MDC-99 official Robson Mugwagwa, for allegedly defrauding residents seeking residential stands.
It emerged yesterday that the executive members who were collecting cash ranging from $1 to $10 to cover what it termed logistics, administration and legal fees have gone into hiding.
Some of the home seekers who spoke to Chronicle said yesterday that they were now convinced that they were duped when they paid the money.

“We have been meeting at the farm on weekends but this weekend after reports that some of the executive members were arrested, not a single executive member turned up for the weekend meeting. We wanted to find out from the executive members the way forward following the latest developments but unfortunately they did not turn up,” Mrs Theresa Mpofu.
Mrs Mpofu said many of the beneficiaries spent the greater part of Saturday at the farm hoping that the executive members were going to turn up but they did not.
“We are now doubting the whole process because what is clear is that we have lost money and there are no indications that we will win this land,” she said.

Another home seeker who declined to be identified said the executive members had convinced them to pay $10 for legal fees saying they intended to engage a lawyer to fight their case. He said now that the executive members had stopped attending meetings, many of them were now worried that they could have been duped into parting with their cash.
“They made us pay US$ 10 for legal fees and we expect a feedback on the progress regarding the issue of engaging a lawyer and if they do not attend meetings how are we going to get this information?” he asked.

The home seekers said many of them paid the fees after the executive members convinced them that what they wer e doing had the blessings of the authorities such as the Governor, Cde Jason Machaya’s office.
“In fact, one of the receipts issued upon payment of the logistics and administrative fees bear the name and surname of Cde Machaya and we were all convinced that what the committee was doing had his blessings,” said another beneficiary.

Chronicle is in possession of some receipts that were issued to home seekers.
Contacted for comment, one of the executive members of the so-called Tanunga Housing Co-operative/Jason Machaya Housing Consortium, Mr Robson Mugwagwa, refused to comment and in fact threatened this reporter with unspecified action.

“You have been writing a lot of things about us but what I want to tell you is that we will come and deal with you in your little office.
“In your dubious writings, you have been linking me to MDC-99. I just want to correct you there, I have rejoined my former party, MDC-T and so I am no longer with the MDC-99 as you have been writing.”
Mr Mugwagwa accused the paper of having a personal vendetta against him.

“You will die for nothing my friend, continue writing your rubbish and it’s only a matter of time before we visit you.
“Go and tell those who are giving you that information to go to hell,” he said.
Mr Mugwagwa is secretary-general of the self- appointed executive that is reported to have duped people into paying the money to be allocated stands at the farm, whose occupation has been declared illegal by the Government.

The invaders were addressed by the Governor, Cde Machaya, who made it very clear that the farm invasion was illegal. Cde Machaya who was accompanied by the Officer Commanding Police in the Midlands, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charles Makono, asked the invaders to vacate the farm or risk arrest.
The invaders are reportedly meeting at the 3 000-hectare farm at the weekends despite Cde Machaya’s warning because their executive has promised to engage a lawyer to fight their case. Each home seeker was allocated a hectare upon payment of the fees.

The farm is owned by a Mr Roy who left the country some 10 years ago. The farm has been idle since then.

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