A storm is brewing at Clare farm where provincial Central Intelligence Organisation boss for Manicaland has filed a court interdict to evict 51 farm workers who had been staying on the Zimbabwean farm since 1982.
Patrick Mukorera the CIO boss for Manicaland was offered subdivision 200 hectares at No. 9 of Reubine of Lare Farm formerly owned by Tiny Van Resberg, in June 2012 but started farming operations in September of the same year.
The 51 farm workers now live in perpetual fear, a development that has seen them appealing to the Constitutional court through their lawyer Passmore Nyakureba of Maunga Maanda and Associates.
Mukorera dragged the 51 farm workers whom he cited as respondents to Mutare Civil courts where he applied for their eviction citing that they were disturbing his farming operations. He allegedly tried to tried to block the 51 Respondents from appealing to the Constitutional Court after the latter had applied for the matter to be referred to the Constitutional court, citing that their application was frivolous and vexatious, an allegation that Ms Chigodora refuted an granted the respondents to appeal to the Constitutional Court.
Both parties appeared before Mutare magistrate Yeukai Chigodora, who ruled dismissed Mukorera’s application adding that the said farm had been the respondents employment benefit which they were e entitled to.
A referral to the Constitutional court was granted by Ms Chigodora, (News Of The South has a copy of the letter) which read;
“This matter is pending in a court of superior jurisdiction actually involving the same parties and affecting their bilateral rights is pending in the Constitutional Court following a referral granted by this Honourable court referring case number 1595/13 to the Constitutional Court for determination of the breach of rights of 51 Respondents. In that matter Applicant sought to evict Respondents from the same land he is seeking them interdicted from either farming crops or livestock or alleged interference.”
The matter will resume on December 20 for determination of whether the matter should still appear at the Constitutional court and will decide the fate of the farm workers on their right to shelter.
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