Squatter camp land row: Pastor invades manaï¿½ï¿½s space, builds church, school

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ITaï¿½ï¿½S my land!

A man who has been a resident at Ngozi Mine squatter campAï¿½ since 1994 is up in arms with Pastor Mitchell, the founder of Ngozi Mine Christian Church as he has invaded his aï¿½?spaceaï¿½ï¿½ and set up a church which doubles as a school.

Moses Moyo accuses Pastor Mitchell of becoming selfish and breaching their agreement as he has chucked him out of the rooms saying his property stinks.

Moyo is a bitter man as he realised that Pastor Mitchell took advantage of him by making him build the school, but had since shifted goalposts by chasing him away.

aï¿½?I have been staying here since 1994 and two years ago I agreed with Pastor Mitchell to use my space for his church services.

aï¿½?We later on agreed to set up a building as he promised that the church was going to double as a school.

aï¿½?They bought cement and corrugated iron which we used to build up the school and there was a room set aside where I kept my property,aï¿½? said Moyo.

He then revealed that a war started a month ago when he found his property thrown outside and upon inquiring what was happening, he was told that Pastor Mitchell had instructed some church members to throw away his filthy property.

aï¿½?I had gone to Hwange to acquire an identification card when I found my property outside.

aï¿½?I was told it was stinking and now it has been damaged by the rains. I tried to engage Pastor Mitchell and Evan Dlamini, but they all pretended to be busy.

aï¿½?I am shocked how a man of cloth could do such an inhuman act,aï¿½? said the bitter Moyo.

Determined to get his space back, Moyo tried to engage officer in charge at ZRP Cowdray Park police base who called Pastor Mitchell to his station, but he never turned up.

aï¿½?I have tried by all means to solve this issue amicably, but Pastor Mitchell is dodgy and now Iaï¿½ï¿½m leading a life which is worse than that of a squatter because of him, aï¿½?said Moyo.

Chairman of Ngozi mine squatter camp Gideon Tshuma said he was yet to receive a formal report from Moyo.

aï¿½?I have heard the issue from the grapevine, but Iaï¿½ï¿½m yet to get a formal report from him (Moses Moyo). What I know is that the place belongs to Moyo and at the beginning I had advised the Pastor not to set up a church on that land, but was shocked to see a structure at Moyoaï¿½ï¿½s place,aï¿½? said Tshuma.

Pastor Mitchell declined comment.

aï¿½?At the moment I cannot comment because we are in the process of engaging Moyo so as to find a lasting solution,aï¿½?he said.