THE Zanu PF district chairperson for Nyandeni in Gwanda, Matabeleland South province, has called on village chairpersons to stop harassing villagers who were victims of government’s recent eviction blitz.
In an interview with Southern Eye this week, Bongani Mlilo said the villagers had suffered enough and were waiting for government’s recent decision to regularise their stay.
Approximately 180 villagers were displaced from their homesteads in February this year and were arrested on charges of illegal occupation of State land.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) lawyer Jabulani Mhlanga facilitated their release from custody.
“They must stop victimising the illegal settlers. Their issue is being handled by the government. The village chairpersons go around doing meetings with the aim of victimising these people,”Mlilo said.
“They even exclude them in the food aid distribution process conducted under the Department of Social Welfare. Everyone must benefit from this programme because we are all hungry.”
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However, village 4 chairperson Patrick Moyo denied the allegations saying he had no hard feelings towards the illegal settlers.
“I am not aware that they being harassed. We work together in order to assist them in their cause. There are about 30 of them in my village, they are not being discriminated against in any way,” he said.
Police on February 7 this year swooped on the villagers accusing them of illegally occupying Hollins Block Estate in Gwanda.
The villagers, however, complained that the police mistreated them following their arrests for alleged illegal occupation of State land.