A judge has thrown out the government's land grab of a farm owned by three black Zimbabweans. The High Court in Bulawayo ruled that taking Esidakeni farm from its rightful owners was completely illegal. Justice Bongani Ndlovu said the seizure made no sense and was done out of spite. The government had handed out pieces of the 550-hectare property to political figures and spy agency workers. All those land offers are worthless after the court decision.
Business partners Siphosami Malunga, Zephaniah Dlamini and Charles Moyo bought the farm fair and square back in 2017. They paid good money for all the shares in the company that owned the land near Nyamandlovu. But three years later, the agriculture minister published a notice saying the state was taking the farm for resettlement. The minister gave out offer letters to about a dozen people, with Zanu PF secretary Obert Mpofu getting a chunk. The court heard that a spy boss named Gatsha Mazithulela wanted in on the deal but got shut out.
The judge slammed the whole thing as a complete mess. He said you cannot take land from black Zimbabweans just to give it to other black Zimbabweans. The liberation war was fought so black people could reclaim their land, not steal it from each other. Justice Ndlovu called the seizure irrational and said it damages Zimbabwe's reputation with investors. He tossed out all the government paperwork and told everyone to stay away from the farm.
Business partners Siphosami Malunga, Zephaniah Dlamini and Charles Moyo bought the farm fair and square back in 2017. They paid good money for all the shares in the company that owned the land near Nyamandlovu. But three years later, the agriculture minister published a notice saying the state was taking the farm for resettlement. The minister gave out offer letters to about a dozen people, with Zanu PF secretary Obert Mpofu getting a chunk. The court heard that a spy boss named Gatsha Mazithulela wanted in on the deal but got shut out.
The judge slammed the whole thing as a complete mess. He said you cannot take land from black Zimbabweans just to give it to other black Zimbabweans. The liberation war was fought so black people could reclaim their land, not steal it from each other. Justice Ndlovu called the seizure irrational and said it damages Zimbabwe's reputation with investors. He tossed out all the government paperwork and told everyone to stay away from the farm.
