A farm meant to be a showpiece for the Zimbabwean government’s land reform programme is lying derelict because three senior Zanu-PF ministers have looted essential equipment. Members of the military disclosed this to Vice-President Joice Mujuru during her tour of Manicaland recently.
Army units are routinely deployed by the government to run appropriated enterprises and intimidate the populace.
Kondozi farm in Odzi was once a thriving horticultural enterprise that exported fresh vegetables to various European markets and earned an annual US$15million dollars in foreign exchange, employing about 5 000 people as seasonal workers. The farm was appropriated by the state two years ago.
Last weekend, Colonel Ronnie Mutizhe, the deputy army commander of 3 Brigade now charged with running the farm, told Mujuru that Agriculture Minister Joseph Made, Transport and Communications Minister Christopher Mushowe and State Security Minister Didymus Mutasa had all appropriated various pieces of agricultural equipment from the farm.
Mujuru, accompanied by six Cabinet ministers and other senior Zanu-PF officials, was on a trip to assess progress of the state’s land reform programme. Mutizhe told her it would be a miracle if the farm, which is now producing maize and sorghum, managed to harvest any of the 40ha of maize under cultivation. ”The maize wilted because we no longer have irrigation equipment,” said Mutizhe.
This infuriated Mujuru, who demanded to know what had happened to the irrigation equipment there. ”It’s not something I can say in public, Your Excellency, I need to discuss it with you in private,” replied Mutizhe.
Mujuru would have none of that. ”Let the cameras roll, I want you to tell me now what happened to the equipment.I’m the vice-president,” said Mujuru.
Mutizhe reluctantly admitted that the pump was taken by Mushowe, who had ”not returned it since”. He added that ”another minister, Nyathi, took the tractors”.
When Mujuru demanded to know who Nyathi was, he responded: ”It’s the Minister of Intelligence, Didymus Mutasa, Your Excellency.”
Mutizhe also alleged that the provincial governor, Tinaye Chigudu, had removed various other tractors, saying: ”It’s for that reason that we are unable to do much on this farm.”
Owners Piet de Klerk and Edwin Moyo were kicked off the farm by Made in May 2004 with the support of erstwhile information minister Jonathan Moyo and Mushowe. Vice-President Joseph Msika tried to stop the government from acquiring the property in 2004 and, at the time, described Moyo, Made and Mushowe as ”immoral little boys” for their actions. Moyo and De Klerk have since relocated to Mozambique.
Mujuru told the crowd that such ”behaviour was unacceptable” and she ”would take measures to ensure that production was restored”.
Deputy Youth Minister Saviour Kasukuwere described the looting of the equipment as ”corruption” of the highest order. ”If it had been small fish that had taken this equipment, they would have been jailed and even denied bail, Your Excellency,” said Kasukuwere. ”But it’s the chiefs, and nothing will ever happen to them.”
Women’s Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri said the farm was in a deplorable state because of greed, adding that she was shocked her peers had destroyed a previously vibrant property. The once bustling business complex on the farm is now derelict, empty of equipment and with storage facilities stripped bare.