Resettled farmers get death threats

Munyaradzi Musiiwa  Midlands Correspondent
ABOUT 50 resettled farmers in Vhungwana resettlement area of Lower Gweru are living in fear after their houses were torched by people from surrounding communities protesting government’s decision to resettle them there.Three homesteads were set ablaze in November following a land dispute between the farmers and Headman Bornface Mkoka and ever since the resettled farmers have been receiving death threats.

Some of the resettled farmers told Chronicle that they suspect that Headman’s Mkoka’s subjects were behind the arson attacks in a matter they suspect a tribal card is being played.

The farmers were resettled in the area in 2005, but they have not been welcomed by the surrounding communities.

Midlands Provincial Administrator Cecelia Chitiyo yesterday said they were probing the matter.

“We’re seized with the matter.  We’re investigating it,” she said.

Enesi Muheyiwa whose family was a victim of the arson attacks said she was living in fear after receiving several death threats from fellow villagers.

“It was on a Sunday when I left my home to attend a   church service only to return to find two of my huts engulfed in fire. My neighbours alleged that the huts were set ablaze by fellow villagers with whom we have been fighting after resisting vacating the land,” she said.

“My husband no longer comes home after we received death threats. We are now living in fear because we do not know what these people are thinking of us. We might be burnt to death while sleeping so we no longer have peace.”

Vhugwana chairman Chipo Kwangware said villagers had approached the ministries of Lands and Rural Resettlement, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing as well as Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Cde Jason Machaya to no avail.

She said the government resettled them in the area in 2005 after they were evicted from Clear Water farm in Shurugwi.

Headman Bornface Mkoba denied any allegations of wrongdoing and claimed that some of the houses were struck by lightning.