|
|
|
|
|
|
Unholy Alliance 3rd November 2003 Mugabe ally 'given farm as reward for supporting Zanu-PF policies. Controversial Zimbabwean Anglican Bishop Nolbert Kunonga has been accused of illegally displacing a white commercial farmer from his property and seizing it for himself and his family. Kunonga, the Bishop of Harare and a close associate of President Robert Mugabe, this week allegedly ordered farmer Simon Hale to pack his bags and leave St Marnock farm, about 15km from the capital. According to the London Sunday Times, Kunonga evicted more than 50 black workers and their families to make way for his own staff. The property was reportedly parcelled out to the bishop by the Zimbabwe government two weeks ago. Land seizures that began three years ago are continuing unabated in Zimbabwe, albeit on a low-intensity scale. Two businessmen with Zanu-PF links, who had resettled themselves and relatives on the same farm, have also reportedly been booted out by Kunonga. According to the London Sunday Times, the bishop took it from the businessmen who had already seized two farms. The paper reported it was believed that the bishop had received the farm as a reward for his outspoken support for Mugabe and his controversial policy of land seizure. On Friday, Hale was removing his equipment and other belongings from the farm. Kunonga - one of Mugabe's associates who has been banned from travelling to the US and Europe - will move into the spacious, seven-bedroomed farmhouse. Hale's son, Marcus, said his family had been given a Friday deadline by Kunonga to vacate the farm - despite the fact that they had not been served with Section 5 and Section 8 notices, which are preliminary and final eviction orders respectively. "We have been told to move out by today and we were in the process of doing so when police impounded our truck and the irrigation equipment we were carrying," he said. "Right now, I'm going to the police to try and sort out the issue. But we will not be able to move out all our belongings . . . We intend contesting the eviction in court." Marcus said his uncle had also lost a farm to war veteran leaders Patrick Nyaruwata and Endy Mhlanga. St Marnock - which was first seized last year - is now lying derelict, with fields unplanted. Kerry Jay, of the farmers' pressure group Justice for Agriculture, said Kunonga's actions were "disgraceful". "It's clear theft and absolutely appalling," she said. "Kunonga is supposed to be a role model and a righteous person. But what he has done is shameful and throws the church's image into disrepute." Repeated attempts to get comment from Kunonga were unsuccessful. In addition to the prime land seized by Mugabe's ministers and members of the ruling Zanu-PF party, it is estimated that agricultural equipment worth Z75-billion has been stolen or vandalised. Kunonga's support for the land grabs and his mockery of Mugabe's black opponents as "puppets of the West" have divided the Anglican community in Zimbabwe. His pro-Mugabe actions have included the banning of dissent in the church and the transfer of clergymen opposed to Zanu-PF policies. In August, he was held hostage by parishioners at the St Philip's Anglican church in Harare after a row erupted over misappropriation of church funds. Zimbabwe will be thrust into the international spotlight tomorrow as opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai opens his court battle against Mugabe's disputed re-election last year. Tsvangirai's legal team, led by South African advocate Jeremy Gauntlett, filed its arguments against Mugabe on October 13. The team will raise a wide range of controversial electoral issues during the initial five days of the hearing. MDC attorneys will argue that the Electoral Supervisory Commission was not validly constituted and that electoral laws were manipulated. The lawyers will also argue that violence and intimidation tilted the poll scales in Mugabe's favour. Sunday
Times (UK) Foreign Desk |