Land barons wreak havoc, invade rural areas

VILLAGERS in Makumbe, Buhera West, say suspected land barons are illegally parcelling out communal land, triggering violent disputes, court battles and threats that are destabilising the community.

Traditional leaders accuse a local man, William Ngundu, of allocating and selling communal land without authority, demanding cash or livestock from families for land they insist cannot legally be sold under customary law.

The dispute highlights a growing crisis in rural Zimbabwe, where alleged land barons are exploiting communal areas, undermining traditional leadership structures and fuelling conflicts that residents fear could turn deadly if authorities fail to intervene.

Village head Abia Makumbe said the land fell under the Makumbe chiefdom and was protected by customary law.

“This land belongs to our ancestors and it is not for sale,” he said.

“He came from another area and started allocating land without (adhering to) the law. Our community is now living in conflict.”

Another village head, Stanford Gwinyi, warned that tensions are escalating.

“These actions are causing serious disagreements that can lead to death,” he said. “We are asking the government to intervene before lives are lost.”

Numerous villagers claim they were pressured to pay for land out of fear of eviction.

Agatha Mhosva said she was ordered to pay US$300 to retain the land she had occupied for years.

“He sold my land to other people and told me I must pay to stay,” she said. “He even claimed he is more powerful than the magistrates’ court.”

Noah Chigidi said he paid for the land because he had nowhere to go.

“I was scared of being homeless,” he said. “After that, he threatened to evict me and forced me to work in his fields.”

Cephas Mukono said his family paid two cattle for land that was now under dispute.

“He told us he was the chief and that he was selling land,” he said. “Now we are being told we may never live there.”

The disputes have spilled to the courts. Raymond Makumbe said his grandfather’s field was sold without the family’s consent, leading to a High Court ruling in October last year ordering that the land be returned.

“The court gave us our land back, but tensions are still high,” he said.

When contacted for comment, Ngundu denied selling land illegally and insisted that he is the traditional authority.

“There are cultural processes when land is allocated,” he said. “That should not be called selling land.”

Ngundu said an eviction order affecting families in the area was being contested and called for government intervention, arguing that the judgment was flawed.

_NewsDay_