Another White Dispossessed
MP hires soldiers to chase white farmer from farmhouse

5^th February 2007

MASVINGO - A former white commercial farmer last week fled his home in Chiredzi after a senior ZANU PF legislator Titus Maluleke hired armed soldiers to forcibly remove him from the farmhouse.

According to sources within the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU), the former farmer, Collin Labat, lost his farm in Hippo Valley Estates in Chiredzi under the government's controversial land reforms in 2003.

He was however allowed by the government to stay in his farmhouse as long as he did not interfere with newly resettled black farmers who were allocated sugar cane plots on his farm.

Maluleke, who was among those allocated plots on the farm, had since 2003 tried without success to push out Labat from the farmhouse.

Relations between Maluleke and Labat reached boiling point last week after soldiers clad in full military gear stormed the farmhouse and gave Labat 48 hours to vacate the property.

"I can confirm that Mr Labat was chased away by armed soldiers. As I speak now we do not know anything about his whereabouts," said Clive Cow a senior official with the CFU.

"He had been allowed to stay in his farm house but we are surprised by the move taken by the MP," he added.

Contacted for comment at the weekend, Maluleke confirmed that he had taken over the farmhouse but denied he hired soldiers to chase away the former farmer.

'"It is true that I moved into the farmhouse after Mr Labat departure. I invited the soldiers to stay with me at the farmhouse temporarily because they do not have anywhere to stay in Chiredzi," said Maluleke.

Earlier this month, the government ordered 15 white farmers to vacate their properties as the purge against the farmers that began in 2000 continued.

Zimbabwe has grappled with severe food shortages over the past seven years following the disturbances on white commercial farms.

The country has relied on food imports and handouts from international food agencies because the new black farmers have failed to maintain production on the farms.

By Regerai Marwezu - ZimOnline