Vusumuzi DubeSunday News Reporter
AN Umguza man who turned a farm his father was allocated by the government under the land reform programme has reportedly attracted the wrath of authorities after turning the farm into a rallying centre for the Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP).
Mr Linda Ndlovu took over the running of the farm- Welcome Farm- from his father Thomas Mbunje Ndlovu, who benefitted the farm under the agrarian reform.
However, the local community raised a red flag on the activities at the farm, claiming that while Linda was claiming to be running the farm for farming activities, he was instead using the farm to hold MRP meetings and also recruit members in the district to join the party.
“We had no problem when Thomas was operating from the farm because he was genuine and was a popular farmer in the district. However, we became suspicious when we realised that something was amiss when Linda took over.
“People and suspicious cars would flock to the farm and further we noticed that the farm itself was being neglected. Upon investigations we realised that these people were actually aligned to the MRP, which is why we then reported them to authorities,” said a neighbouring farmer.
However, investigations by this publication revealed that Linda is a qualified agriculture expert and despite claims that the farm was being neglected it had infact improved yields.
“Linda specialized in agriculture for his tertiary education and after graduating was employed by his father at the family farm. He actually improved yields during the time he was running affairs and would sale various produce in Bulawayo.
“That he supported MRP is no secret which he made, he believed he was exercising his democratic right as an individual but that is when he was targeted by neighbouring farmers, who are known supporters of the ruling Zanu-PF. They claimed that since the family were beneficiaries of the agrarian reform they could not be seen opposing the ruling party,” said the source who declined to be named.
The source revealed that subsequently Linda had been attacked, tortured and even abducted with no cause. His father was also threatened with losing the farm.
“Linda is just being persecuted for supporting MRP, yet he had turned fortunes within the farm and was even offering his services for free to neighbouring farmers,” said the source.
Online Reporter