Former CCC Parliamentary Candidate, Patrick Cheza, Evicted From 250-hectare Farm
Prominent Gweru businessman, Patrick Cheza, who was the Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) candidate for Chirumhanzi South in the 2023 general elections is being evicted from his 250-hectare farm by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development.
According to The Mirror, Cheza was allocated the farm which is located near Mvuma under the land redistribution programme. He is now losing investments worth US$200 000.
Cheza, who was detained for several weeks during last year’s elections, is reported to be the only farmer out of 61 under the same scheme who is being evicted.
He was accused of assaulting ZANU PF Barbra Rwodzi following an argument over an accident which had occurred along Chaka‐Charandura Road in Chirumhanzu.
His farm is one of the most developed under the scheme with greenhouses, boreholes, solar power systems, 105 herd of cattle, 56 high-breed goats, and sheep and 50 full-time workers.
The Mirror further reported that Cheza’s farm is already being subdivided into smaller plots and the beneficiaries are members of the Joint Operations Command (JOC).
Cheza’s appeal was thrown out by High Court Judge, Justice Mawadze who said the courts have no power over the matter and told him to plead with the Minister.
Justice Mawadze however, conceded in his opening remarks that land issues in Zimbabwe are very emotive and vexing.
The Minister of Lands’s Permanent Secretary Obert Jiri was reported as saying Cheza will not be compensated for developments he made on the farm.
The seizure of Cheza’s farm shows the total lack of security of tenure in the country’s laws and that it is risky for businesspeople to associate with opposition parties as they can easily lose their hard-earned investments to “the system” with nowhere to seek justice.
More: Pindula News
