October 13, 2003
Charleswood Estates, a farm owned by Chimanimani MP, Roy Bennett has been invaded again by member of the Zimbabwe National Army. Armed soldiers under the leadership of the notorious CIO operative Joseph Mwale invaded the farm on the 7th of October 2003, as a relocation exercise from Martin Forest, which is an official Zimbabwe National Army base.
Before the incident involving the soldiers took place, Joseph Mwale and a CIO operative simply known as Shingi went to an intersection called Mugodo Station at 12:15hours. Seagent Zulu who was driving a police vehicle registration number 288D followed Mwale who was driving a mazda pickup truck registration number 590-362X to the intersection. Both trucks had full loads of settlers who were going to be addressed by Mwale at the intersection. All in all, 35 men and women gathered for the meeting, which was later addressed by Mwale.
In his address, Mwale urged the settlers to occupy the guesthouse, which is in the farm but noon took heed of that call. Mwale himself did not go as far the guesthouse. In the meantime the defender was being used to deploy the settlers across the Zhungu River where they were being asked to occupy the land. The presence of Mwale and the settlers lasted for only two hours then was followed by the arrival of the army.
The presence of the Zimbabwe National Army on Charleswoods completes the entire Zanu-Pf security segment, which includes Zimbabwe Republic Police, Border Gezi Youths, CIO agents and War Veterans. Although no reports of violence have been reported yet, some war veterans are pretending to be Kraal Herds, Chokera Chikukwa and Joseph Ngorima in a bid to fool people into believing that the local traditional leaders are part of the circus at Charleswoods farm.
"These people are war veterans and not Kraal herds. When I bought Charleswoods farm in 1993, I introduced myself to local traditional leaders Chikukwa and Ngorima. This is why Joseph Mwale has been going around mobilizing people to pretend as if they are Chiefs so as to legitimize greedy motives," explained Mr. Roy Bennett.
The presence of the police from Chimanimani and Joseph Mwale on Charleswoods estates are a total breach of a court order in which Mr. Roy Bennett sought reprieve from the courts against the unjust treatment to him, his workers and the animals at the hands of Zanu-Pf officials. A lot of criminal activities warranting arrests have been committed on the farm but the police who are settlers as well have thwarted efforts to have Joseph Mwale and Chogugudza brought to book.
To date, 70 cattle have been lost because of snares, which are prepared by Zanu-Pf settlers on the farm. Several workers have been beaten up and subsequently arrested by Chimanimani police as a result of the persisting fights at the farm. The villagers and farm workers from the surrounding areas have been strengthened by these problems such that they have offered to pick coffee from Charleswoods free of charge. The farm managers have been indebted with offers to work in the fields such that they end up making rotational shifts, to give every person a chance.
"Oppah Muchinguri the Manicaland Governor was misled into addressing some farm workers at my farm six months ago, indicating that the government was handing over the farm to ARDA. Villagers and workers from the farm know exactly what is happening hence the support I am enjoying at the moment. Many government officials have been misled and when they come to the farm they find something different. Joseph Mwale has brought in settlers but they end up leaving because the situation simply explains who the owner of the farm is," elaborated Mr. Bennett.