Harare | Monday
A FRESH farm invasion took place briefly on Sunday in northern Zimbabwe, as President Robert Mugabe agreed in principle to a Nigerian-brokered deal to end the land dispute.
A farming official on the invaded farm in Mashonaland Central province, who asked not to be named, said the invasion by around 200 land occupiers was quickly defused by police.
It is the second such invasion in two days in the wake of last week’s special meeting of selected Commonwealth countries in Abuja, Nigeria, which negotiated a land deal between Zimbabwe and former colonial power Britain.
On Saturday, a group of pro-government militants invaded a farm in Beatrice, 40 kilometres south of Harare, assaulted 12 farm workers and burned down 20 staff houses.
A family member from a farm invaded on Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the occupiers had demonstrated peacefully.
“There was no trouble at all,” she said, adding “it went off quite peacefully.”
Speaking late on Sunday, a representative for the Commercial Farmers’ Union (CFU) who has been in contact with the family said the invaders chanted, sung and waved axes, knives and sticks.
One of the invaders — believed to be a Zimbabwe Air Force brigadier — issued an ultimatum.
“He advised the farm owner to leave once the current crop is harvested,” the CFU representative said.
Under the Abuja agreement reached on Thursday and endorsed by President Robert Mugabe on Sunday, Zimbabwe committed itself to ending the invasion of white-owned farms and to carry out land reforms within the rule of law.
Britain in turn promised to lead the international community in financially supporting the reforms, in particular by paying compensation to white-owned farmers. “Abuja enables Britain to act as a partner,” Mugabe said. – AFP
Text of the Abuja agreement on Zimbabwe September 7, 2001