Mazowe, Zimbabwe – In a brazen defiance of the rule of law, two high-ranking army colonels have allegedly turned a 603-hectare property in Mazowe into a military fortress, blocking the Sheriff of the High Court from executing a lawful eviction order.
The standoff, which lasted for several hours, highlights the growing tension between military entitlement and the rights of resettled farmers under the Land Reform and Resettlement Programme.
Ingleborough Farm, once a symbol of land redistribution, has become a battleground for influence. At the heart of the dispute are two resettled farmers, Tryness Kabiti and Wonder Mukwaira, who have held valid offer letters for years. However, their right to the land is being challenged by Colonel Ncube and Colonel Malamba, who claim an interest in the property. The Ministry of Lands has added fuel to the fire, attempting to revoke offer letters to make way for Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri and a military cemetery.
The situation reached a boiling point on March 13, when the High Court issued an order for the eviction of the illegal occupiers. But as the Sheriff attempted to remove household goods from the farm, he was met with armed resistance. Reports indicate that the two colonels arrived with uniformed reinforcements, blocking the road and forcing the Sheriff to return the seized goods.
“Execution could not proceed as the Sheriff was coerced to suspend execution by Colonel Ncube and Colonel Malamba,” the Sheriff’s report to the High Court stated. “They threatened violence as they were armed. The Sheriff was only allowed to leave after returning the goods removed.”
Witnesses described a scene of intimidation, with military vehicles used to barricade the path to the Bindura–Mazowe Road. Wonder Mukwaira, who was waiting outside the farm for the eviction to be completed, could only watch as the soldiers intervened. The incident has since been reported to the Marlborough Police under case number RRB67991/3.
The legal battle for Ingleborough Farm has spanned nearly four years. Tryness Kabiti, a diplomat who was offered 100 hectares in 2010, and Mukwaira, who received 253 hectares in 2013, have faced relentless pressure to vacate. Despite the Ministry of Lands’ attempts to withdraw their offers for “public purposes,” the Supreme Court recently ruled in Kabiti’s favor, setting aside the ministry’s decision after it failed to provide written reasons for the withdrawal.
As the dust settles on this latest confrontation, the question remains: does the uniform place one above the law? For the farmers of Ingleborough, the struggle for justice continues, with their lawyers preparing an urgent chamber application to enforce the eviction. In a nation built on the promise of land for the people, the sight of soldiers blocking the path of justice is a chilling reminder of the work still to be done.
The Zimbabwe Times – News Without Fear or Favour.
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