Cloverdale farm evictees living on roadside after demolitions, blame Zanu PF-linked land barons for illegally allocating them stands

UNTIL Friday last week, Ashel Chibutse, a 43-year-old man and his family of five were living in a four-roomed house at Cloverdale farm in Ruwa, 25 kilometres outside Harare.

Chibutse is among thousands of people who, on Friday, were left out in the cold after facing a heartbreaking ordeal when their homes were demolished.

Several families, who had resided at Cloverdale after occupying the farm belonging to former Cabinet minister Petronella Kagonye, were brutally forced out.

Once homeowners, the Cloverdale farm inhabitants now face the harsh reality of homelessness amid the biting cold, with the Harare-Mutare highway becoming their temporary shelter.

“I was alerted earlier in the morning that houses were being demolished while I was at work. When I was near Ruwa, that’s when I was told that Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers were beating people,” said Chibutse.

The Cloverdale farm invasions began years ago when land barons linked to the ruling party, Zanu PF, sold stands to potential homeowners for as little as US$200.

The land was allocated to the home seekers, ostensibly for supporting the ruling party, with a Zanu PF member only identified as Chairman SaMutoko at the forefront.

“I got my stand in February and finished construction in six months. So since August, we have been living in Cloverdale. When we came here, we were told that the stands were being given to Zanu PF youths.

“We were not given any papers. We were just told to go and see Chairman SaMutoko—he would give you a piece of land—and true to that, I was given a stand,” said Chibutse.

Many families woke up to find their homes being razed down by authorities.

As some tried to stop the demolition, violence erupted, with residents and ZRP officers clashing.

“Police officers were beating anyone they came across. The beatings intensified when it was reported that some police officers had been killed. They were baying for the blood of all the men, and some were beaten thoroughly,” said Chibutse.

When NewZimbabwe.com visited Cloverdale, tension was high, with ZRP details swarming the area.

The evictees believe there was injustice in the manner the demolitions were carried out arguing there was no prior warning.

“We were chased by police dogs. Now we have nowhere to go. Children who were supposed to go to school are in a difficult situation. We are now destitute, and we will live here until we find accommodation,” said one Ndlovu.

The Harare-Mutare highway, where they now stay, is crowded and noisy. Cars and trucks pass by constantly, making life difficult for the families—especially the children—as the relentless traffic has become a temporary soundtrack to their struggles. NewZimbabwe