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Blessings Chidakwa and Victor Maphosa
Land reform beneficiaries with A2 farms at Dombi Farm in Marondera are pleading with the Government to save their farms from being invaded.

Mashonaland East Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Apolonia Munzverengi has confirmed having received complaints from some A2 farmers across the province.

“My office is seized with such matters, but we are dealing with each case individually,” she said.

One of the affected farmers, Mr Livison Manjengwa who spoke to our publication said he was shocked to learn that his farm was being invaded by his neighbour Mr Rodney James Cormac.

“On Wednesday morning, I received a call from my farm manager saying Cormac had encroached our farm.

“I quickly rushed to the farm and inquired from Cormac on what was transpiring since I have a valid offer letter from the Ministry of Lands.

He then started boasting of having strong connections with top Government officials,” he said.

Mr Manjengwa said the farmers invested a lot of money into the project and they should not be harassed as this would be tantamount to reversing the gains of the land reform programme.

Another farmer who pleaded for anonymity showed our publication an offer letter belonging to aggrieved farmers issued on June 29, 2017 referenced ‘Offer of land holding under the land reform and resettlement programme (model A2 phase II)’.

“The Minister of lands and Rural Resettlement has the pleasure in informing you that your application for land under model A2 scheme has been successful.

“You are offered subdivision 14 of Dombi in Marondera district of Mashonaland East province for agricultural purposes. The farm is approximately 50.00 hectares in extent,” reads part of the offer letter.

At least 10 A2 farmers are directly affected at Dombi Farm.

Our news crew visited the farm last Wednesday and observed Mr Cormack with an excavator operator clearing land on a piece of land he was accused of having invaded, destroying the demarcations.

The crew made efforts to interview him while he was clearing part of the invaded farm, but he refused to entertain the news crew but rushed to his main compound.

President Mnangagwa has since said the land reform programme, which redressed colonial land imbalances by giving land to black Zimbabweans at the turn of the millennium is irreversible and what the Government is doing now is implementing the dictates of the Constitution.

Further efforts to follow Mr Cormack at his home were fruitless as he sent a maid advising that he was unwilling to entertain the news crew.