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Clemence Manyukwe News Editor
THE Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement Douglas Mombeshora says he is yet to get any official complaint regarding a farm offered to Tourism and Hospitality Minister Walter Mzembi.In that regard, for now he cannot make any decision over the matter.
The minister said his ministry had not received any report from Masvingo province where the provincial minister Shuvai Mahofa last week said Mzembi must relinquish claim on part of Barquest Farm.
Senator Mahofa said she had barred Cde Mzembi from taking over part of the farm which is home to the province’s largest hatchery project that produces 100,000 day-old chicks per week as it was of strategic importance to the province.
Mombeshora, whose ministry issued the tourism minister with an offer letter last month for part of the farm, yesterday said his ministry would only look into the issue after they receive a written report on the matter as his ministry does not act on media reports.
He, however, added that ultimately, the Lands Ministry would have the final say on any matter brought before it as provinces can only make recommendations and the ministry looks at whether or not the recommendation conforms to government policy.
“We haven’t received any report from Masvingo. They make a recommendation giving us the reasons and we look at it to see whether it conforms to policy,” Mombeshora said.
“There are a lot of things that have been said, but I can’t act on newspaper reports.”
On Friday, Mzembi told The Chronicle that he would stay put at Barquest Farm as he was a legitimate occupant.
“The correct position which I wish the public to know is that I was offered Subdivision 1 equivalent to 367.51 ha in extent of Barquest Extension, which was gazetted many years ago for the purposes of compulsory acquisition and resettlement by the Government of Zimbabwe, leaving the Mitchells with an ungazetted portion in excess of 500 ha to pursue their business and family interests,” said the minister.
“On my portion as I’ve already shared with the Mitchells, I’m going to develop a hatchery, abattoir and processing plant for a poultry venture whose business elements are on file with the Provincial and National Government. I intend to complement the production statistics that Cde Mahofa has alluded to and she has all the information in the submission that led to my being allocated the farm.”
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