A great controversy surrounding the control and ownership of the Sonia Citrus Farm have resulted in the eviction of more than 200 families in Chinhoyi.
The Presidential papers of 2005 indicates that the Prazo was allocated to the Municipality of Chinhoyi but there was no follow up papers to transfer and confirm this ownership.
However, the politician and businessman, Phillip Chiyangwa claimed that he was allocated this 3447 hactares worth of land in 2002 with an intention to build houses.
However, since 2016 when Chiyangwa applied for land development papers, nothing have been done because he have not been allocated the necessary papers. Thus, he ended up suing the ministers of agriculture and Provintial affirs and the Council for delaying the processing of his papers.
Chiyangwa was also involved in a heated contest with the occupants who admittedly have no papers to occupy the land. After a long time contest at the courts, the High Court ruled that the Prazo belongs to Mr Chiyangwa.
Empowered by this court order, escorted by the Police and a member of the Zimbabwe National Army, Chiyangwa’s workers carried a scorched earth police, destroying livestock, goods and property.
They evicted the illegal inhabitants without giving them an alternative land for resettlement. Again, the inhabitants were relaxed hoping the farm belong to the Council and that they will be given eviction order first.
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