The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Correspondent
ILLEGAL settlers have re-invaded Arda Transau area, with the most daring ones settling in the area designated for the Mutare Dry Port project.
Most of the illegal settlers are from Mutare and were recently duped by land barons who sold them pieces of land for as little as US$3.
The suspected land barons -Godfrey Mukoko, Mukono Mujeke, Gabriel Chirochepi, Noel and Owen Bvirindi- were arrested and are on trial over the issue at Mutare Magistrates’ Court.
At least 300 illegal settlers were evicted from the land in March by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement, but some have bounced back.
The area the illegal settlers are occupying includes the 45 hectares set aside for Mutare Dry Port.
The construction of Mutare Dry Port is aimed at de-congesting traffic at Forbes Border Post which serves about 600 haulage trucks per day.
In an interview with The Manica Post, Mutare District lands officer, Mr Foster Chirinda said despite being issued with eviction letters to vacate the land in March,the illegal settlers remain defiant.
“These illegal settlers are defying our eviction orders. The area is earmarked for the construction of Mutare Dry Port.
“Arda Transau was initially allocated to the Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement to resettle those affected by diamond mining activities in Chiadzwa.
“No one is allowed to settle anywhere willy-nilly.
“Those who are selling that land are doing so illegally.
“The law will descend heavily on those defying the eviction notices,” said Mr Chirinda.
Mutare Rural District Council Ward Three councillor, Councillor Moses Mujaji said the illegal settlers are already developing structures and the situation needs to be addressed urgently.
“When they were ordered to leave early this year, all of them left, but a few came back.
“When the rest saw that no action had been taken, they came back and pitched their illegal structures. Some of these illegal settlers were not even part of the initial group that was evicted,” he said.
