Online Reporter
Obey Musiwa
Herald Reporter
RESETTLED farmers at Glen Avon Farm in Goromonzi District are demanding an urgent government probe into what they describe as a scam scheme by traditional and local leadership to illegally re-allocate state land, amid forged offer letters and doctored government receipts.
The farmers, in a series of letters to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, the Goromonzi District Development Coordinator (DDC), the Provincial Lands Officer and the Goromonzi Rural District Council, allege that Chief Rusike (born Witness Mashawe) unilaterally split the 1 284-hectare A1 scheme into two rival entities — Glen Avon A and Glen Avon B — in February 2022, without the knowledge or authority of the Lands Ministry.
According to the farmers, the split has since been exploited to push through irregular land deals on the farm’s grazing land, including a private boarding school, a lodge and leisure centre development.
Most recently, the farm has occupied with the settlement of an individual whose paperwork the farmers say does not stand up to scrutiny.
A resettlement file in the name of Patrice Chikuyo allocated Plot 66 at Glen Avon Farm indicated offer letter used to back his claim dated 2007 yet carries only one signature, where genuine 2007-era offer letters bear two: that of the lands officer and the then District Administrator, now the DDC.
Speaking to Zimpapers, one of the victimised farmers Mr William Ncube emphasised interrogation into forged paperwork.
“Offer letters that were issued during the year 2007 bear two signatures that of the lands officer and that of the DA, now DDC.
“This particular one has one signature,” the farmers state in their petition to the DDC’s office, dated September 1, 2026.
“Furthermore, why this offer letter that was issued recently has a 2007 date is very suspicious.
“To try and make us believe that the farmer was issued land in 2007 and has been absent for 20 years without a single visit, which is an insult to our intelligence,”he said.
The farmers indicated a 2026 government land-rentals receipt tied to the same plot compounds the anomaly.
The receipt, issued from the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement’s accounting section at Causeway, Harare — rather than the Marondera provincial lands office that ordinarily services Goromonzi files.
Efforts to obtain an official response from the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement remain pending, with the journalist formally launching a complaint over the inconvient delays in comment provision.
Mr Ncube said the receipt carries a mobile number in the receipt’s endorsement field belonging not to Chikuyo, but to Ward 22 councillor Garikayi Mutongoreya.
“The local Councillor’s mobile number is endorsed on the receipt or Patrice Chikuyo.
“Patrice Chikuyo is not on the farmers’ database,”he said, demanding an investigation into accounting officer Mr Kahonde, who they say processed the receipt.
A map accompanying Chikuyo’s file, covering 6.194 hectares, further troubles the farmers because it does not disclose who drew it, when, or who approved it, details they say would help establish when the paperwork was actually generated.
Farmers who tried to verify the new arrivals say they were instead hauled before Chief Rusike’s traditional court and charged with trespass.
War veteran farmer Amon Mukwada, who farms on the Glen Avon B side, was among those summoned.
Court papers show he was ordered to appear before Chief Rusike’s court on March 29, 2026 to answer a charge of “unauthorised visit, Glen Avon A, and intimidation” for allegedly crossing into the other section of the same farm.
“This has robbed the rest of the original farmers of their grazing land,” said Mr Mukwada.
“The wider land-grab pattern in their petition to the DDC, in which we demand that all decisions that were made by Glen Avon A without consulting other farmers be set aside, and that the two rival development committees be dissolved in favour of a single, elected seven-member body for the whole farm.”
Fellow farmer Mr Michael Manomano, who signed the same petition on behalf of Glen Avon A residents, said the case exposed how ordinary plot-holders were being punished simply for questioning irregular allocations.
“We are eager to cooperate fully with the ministry to resolve these matters and ensure the long-term sustainability and productivity of the Glen Avon A1 Scheme,”he said appealing for the farm’s original boundaries and single administration to be restored.
Village head Nicolas Kufeni was suspended by the traditional leadership after he tried to verify pegging on the grazing land and sided with aggrieved farmers.
The farmers urged that they have petitioned the Minister of Lands, the Chief Land Resettlement Officer for Mashonaland East, the Provincial Lands Officer, the Goromonzi DDC and the Rural District Council over an 18-month period, with the matter first raised in August 2022 and escalated again this year, but say no action has been taken.
Efforts to get a full comment from Chief Rusike were delayed at the time of going to print as he insisted the reporter interview him at his homestead.
Chief Rusike said the case he handled was not about land but about victimisation which he referred to police.
He claimed his ruling was inconclusive because it was outside his jurisdiction, and accuses the farmers of disregarding people’s privacy.
“he one with an authorised visit is not a land issue but victimisation which I directed to the police since it isa criminal act.
“My judgement was inconclusive since tht was beyond my jurisdiction if u come to my office I will furnish u with more info on why these ppl disregard the privacy of ppl coz they are ex police officious or councillors,”he said.
Goromonzi Ward 22 Councilor Garikayi Mutongoreya said he should not be held responsible for the allegations and that anyone with concerns should verify them with the relevant Ministry or with Patrice Chikuyo directly.
He said his phone number is public.
“Please confirm matters or any allegations with the relevant department (Ministry etc) or with Chikuyo.
“My numbers are public just like you have my number to confirm relationship but l do not know you. They also come here as an automatic response,”he said.
