Zanu PF Militias Loot Farms

6th April 2002

ZANU PF-sponsored militias have intensified the violent displacement of farmers and the looting of commercial farming equipment in Mashonaland West's Magunje and Karoi areas barely a month after the flawed presidential election.

One of the affected farmers told the Zimbabwe Independent equipment worth over $17 million had been looted last week and at the beginning of this week as invaders ran- sacked eight farms demanding pumps, compressors, electrical motors and tractors.

"The worst affected farms include Toekoms which lost $8 million worth of equipment, Yawanda Farm $6 million, Mukuyu about $3 million and at Lanroy Farm $100,000 worth of equipment has been confirmed stolen," the farmer said.

"The invaders proceeded to break into the farm workshop where the damage has not yet been quantified."

The farmers were forced to stop all activities with occupiers declaring that the land belonged to them. The farmers said reports to the police had not been responded to.

Police in Karoi confirmed receiving the reports but referred all enquiries to the Police Headquarters in Harare.

Last week at Gutu Mupandawana growth point, militias beat up customers seen buying from Crispen Musoni's fast food outlet.

Musoni was an MDC candidate for Gutu North in the 2000 parliamentary election and owns a take-away at the growth point.

The take-away is currently operating without window panes after several post-election attacks by ruling party youths and militia.

Musoni has appealed to the police and army to normalise the situation. The army is understood to have agreed to come and deal with the youths but was still to do at the time of going to press.

MDC officials said that the issue of post-election violence had reached critical levels as cases of abductions, harassment and intimidation were on the increase.

In Gutu South constituency, several militia bases set up towards the presidential poll were still in existence.

In Mashayamombe village, Mhondoro, people were living in constant fear as ruling party militias have launched a massive witch-hunt for opposition supporters.

"Zanu PF supporters are beating up people they suspect to be MDC supporters in the area. They are also demanding that opposition members who benefited from government's agricultural input credit scheme make repayments insisting the scheme was exclusively meant for Zanu PF supporters," the source said.

Civic NGO Crisis in Zimbabwe said yesterday approximately 50,000 people had been displaced in ongoing political violence.