Exiled former Zanu PF cabinet minister Saviour Kasukuwere has blamed President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime for a veld fire that destroyed hundreds of citrus trees at his farm in Mazowe.
Kasukuwere was controversially blocked from contesting as an independent presidential candidate in elections last month with accusations Mnangagwa deliberately wanted to ensure the former Minister did not split the Zanu PF vote.
“Seventy hectares have been completely destroyed and the infrastructure, including an irrigation system. The land reform has become a curse,”
Kasukuwere said of the fire at his farm.
“The cruelty we are experiencing is beyond comprehension. I never thought one’s country and those you have worked with in life can go to this extent,”
he told the independent ZimLive website from South Africa where he is exiled.
The former ruling Zanu-PF political commissar accused the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) of failing to enforce a High Court order aimed at removing the invaders from his property.
“It never rains but pours: A huge fire has destroyed my prime citrus plant at Concorpia Farm, Mazowe. Against all legal efforts to remove the invader, the ZRP has refused to enforce a HC order.
“For now, we are yet to ascertain the motive behind this arson attack,”
he wrote on his X handle.
In 2020, Kasukuwere approached the High Court on an urgent basis with an application seeking leave to evict war veterans identified as Efanos Mudzimunyi, Kudakwashe Moyana, Kenneth Mudzimunyi and Akim Mudzimunyi, who had invaded the same farm. He won the case.
According to the papers, the farm was given to Kasukuwere during the land reform programme. But early 2020, his offer letter was withdrawn under unclear circumstances and without notice, resulting in the case spilling into the courts.
Kasukuwere won a court order to evict the war veterans who then went on to file a Supreme Court appeal in a bid to continue staying at the property, claiming that they also had the right to be at the same farm through offer letters.
This prompted Kasukuwere to approach the High Court again seeking leave to execute Mushore’s order.
Kasukuwere fled the country in November 2017 during a military coup that ousted late former President Robert Mugabe. He is in self exile in South Africa together with his colleague Walter Mzembi and Patrick Zhuwao.
He tried to challenge Mnangagwa in the 2023 harmonised general elections held last month but he was stopped by the High Court on the controversial basis that he was not in the country for more than 18 months.
