Chief wants farmer evicted

Herald Reporter

Chief Nembire of Centenary is demanding the eviction of a commercial white farmer from Chidoma Farm in his area arguing the farmer is an “unrepentant racist” with no respect for black people. However, Mr Gram Web’s parents Mr Robert and Mrs Jennifer Web on Monday dismissed the allegations as false and malicious.In an interview on Monday, Chief Clemence Nembire, accused Gram of ill treating his workers and failing to live in harmony with the new farmers and villagers.

“This white farmer is a racist. He has no respect for black people. He uses derogatory language on black people and even beat up his employees. I can no longer accommodate him in this area and want him out,” said Chief Nembire.

Chief Nembire said recently the farmer fired two of his employees only identified as William and Takesure, but refused to give them their gratuities in line with labour laws.

“Just recently, he fired two men who were working at his farm, but he is refusing to pay them their pensions. I summoned him for a meeting, but he refused to attend the meeting. He boosts that he is protected up there and no one can do anything to him,” said Chief Nembire.

He also lamented lack of proper ablution and sanitary facilities at the worker’s compound — a situation he described as inhuman.

“The state of the compound is deplorable. People rely on bush system if they want to relieve themselves and the housing units are pathetic,” said Chief Nembire.

He said his employees also complained of poor working conditions such as working long hours and inconsistent dates of payments.

Chief Nembire, who is a neighbour to the Web family, also said the farmer did not co-operate with others in cases of sickness or bereavement.

“We want him to know that there is no room for racism in Zimbabwe. He has failed to co-exist with us and hence must go.

“Responsible authorities must take action as a matter of urgency. I will see what to do with the farm with my people. If they fail to act, we will handle the issue our on way,” said Chief Nembire.

Asked when the white farmer started his alleged racial tendencies, Chief Nembire said he had always been like that and his latest stance to have him evicted was necessitated by his unrepentant behaviour.

Asked why they were fired from the farm, Takesure admitted to have stolen seed maize from the white farmer, but wanted his pension.

William who was Mr Web’s security guard, claimed he was wrongly accused of stealing diesel from one of the tractors he was guarding outside Mr Web’s house, but said he also wanted his pension.

Although Gram was not available at the farm, his parents said all allegations were made up just to chase his family away from the farm.

“As I speak, my son has gone to Harare to try and get wages for his employees. We all know that there are cash challenges. We have always paid them on time,” said Mr Web.

“We have all tried since the farm was sub-divided to live in harmony with everyone around here and that’s what we continue upholding. We know that if our names are placed in the mud, we get chased away from the farm and we do not want that,” he said.

He said they have tried to put up ablution facilities at the worker’s compound, but they were vandalised.

“There are so many people living at that compound some who work for the chief himself and others who do not work for anyone. We can’t move them because the chief ordered that no one must be chased away. How then do the ablution facilities cater for such a huge crowd,” he said.

Mr Web said he had no problems with any of his neighbours except Chief Nembire who openly told him the only time they had a conversation some four years ago that he didn’t want anything to do with him because he was white.

Mr Web said fired employees William and Takesure were caught stealing hence the reason to dismiss them.

He said if they had any grievances, they were free to approach the Labour Court.

Mrs Web said she had done all in her capacity to relate to Chief Nembire, but to no avail.

“I said if he can’t speak to my husband, if he can’t speak to my son maybe he will listen to me as a woman, as a mother, as a grandmother, but all my efforts were in vain. I have tried to make things right, but he does not appreciate it.

“We are equally Zimbabweans trying to do things the right way, but they do not realise that. No one notices the effort I put in paying school fees for many orphans around here, assist the sick and the bereaved, they still don’t appreciate that,” said Mrs Web.

Mr Web’s farm was subdivided under the Government’s land re-distribution exercise to accommodate two more farmers, one of which is Chief Nembire.

Efforts to get a comment from Mashonaland Central Governor Martin Dinha and Lands and Rural Resettlement Minister, Douglas Mombeshora on the chief’s appeal to take the farm away from Mr Web were fruitless.