Tshovani villagers besiege farmhouse

villagers from Tshovani communal lands in Chikombedzi, Chiredzi, are reportedly camped at the farmhouse at Farm 16, Sub-Division 2 at Hippo Valley Estates since last Saturday.
They are saying the two resettled farmers should be allocated alternative houses to allow their chief, Mr Hlaisi Mundawu, who is Chief Tshovani, to move in.
The farmhouse was being shared by Mr Robson Guruvhete and Ms Josephine Jambaya. The two were allocated sugar-cane plots at the farm in 2000 under the land reform programme. It is believed that the villagers decided to camp at the farmhouse in Hippo Valley Estates to protest over Government’s failure to allocate their chief a decent house.
Masvingo Governor and Resident Minister  Mr Titus Maluleke on Wednesday confirmed that scores of villagers had camped at the farmhouse. He was, however, quick to point out that an amicable solution be found.
“It (the camping at the farmhouse) is not a big problem at all and we are quite sure that very soon we would get over the problem,” he said. “In fact, the villagers who are camped at the farmhouse in question just accompanied their chief to occupy his new house that was allocated to him by Government while alternative accommodation for the two new farmers is being sought.”
Governor Maluleke said trouble began after Chief Tshovani decided to move into the farmhouse before Government had secured alternative houses for the two farmers.
He said the Chiredzi District Administrator’s Office was trying to solve the issue by convincing Chief Tshovani and his people to leave the farmhouse and return to Chikombedzi until alternative accommodation for the two new farmers has been secured.
Governor Maluleke said the move by Chief Tshovani and his subjects to occupy the farmhouse in Hippo Valley Estates followed numerous pleas by the Chiredzi chiefs for Government to secure houses for them near Chiredzi town.
The chiefs argued that they were supposed to attend several meetings in the town in a month yet they stayed more than 300 kilometres away, hence the need for them to get houses near the sugar growing town.
Chiredzi is the administrative capital for Chikombedzi and satellite districts.