Evicted Villagers Speaks Out
Residents of Matabeleland South province have voiced their distress over the harsh treatment they endured at the hands of the police following their arrest for occupying State land unlawfully.
There is widespread belief that the government’s initiative to remove “illegal” settlers from State land serves the interests of a privileged and influential minority. The evictions have been conducted with severity, drawing comparisons to the forceful removals carried out by white settlers over a century ago.
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Elizabeth Ndlovu, aged 91, from Nyandeni village, recounted being detained overnight at a police camp without access to food or water. She expressed her discomfort, highlighting her reliance on her grandchildren’s earnings from artisanal mining for sustenance.
“I am not feeling well, I am staying with my grandchildren who are taking care of me through proceeds from artisanal mining. We were bundled into a police truck to Gwanda Police Station last week, where I slept on an empty stomach,” Ndlovu narrated.
“We appeared in court the following day, and we were remanded out of custody until February 23. We were called again for a meeting here at Nyandeni business centre by the police, we arrived at 8am and the police came in the afternoon coming to court on any day. For instance, those arrested from Nyandeni were 180. Managing such a large number at once is challenging.”
Transported to Gwanda Police Station in a police truck, Ndlovu endured hunger during her stay, preceding a court appearance where she, along with others, was remanded until February 23. Subsequent meetings with the police were delayed, exacerbating the situation for the large number of individuals, such as the 180 from Nyandeni, who faced challenges in coordinating legal proceedings.
The affected villagers hailed from Insindi and Sherborne Farm in West Nicholson, according to Chigova.
Assistant Inspector Bongani Mguni, acting provincial police spokesperson, declined to provide a statement on the issue.
Last week, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) intervened to halt the eviction of villagers in Masvingo province. These villagers had been ordered to vacate their homes following convictions for illegal occupation of State land.
Phillip Shumba of ZLHR, representing the villagers, lodged an appeal at Masvingo Magistrates Court seeking to suspend their evictions pending the outcome of their appeal against conviction and sentence, filed at Masvingo High Court, as detailed in an update by ZLHR.
Magistrate Ivy Jawona granted the villagers’ request for a suspension of eviction pending the determination of their appeal at Masvingo High Court.
