Farmers to challenge latest land ruling

Zimbabwe’s Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) said on Tuesday it would appeal against a High Court provisional order allowing squatters to stay on white farms, Reuters reported. High Court judge Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku ruled on Monday that war veterans and ZANU-PF supporters could remain on the farms pending a Supreme Court ruling expected next month on the constitutionality of the government’s land reform programme.

“There has been a clear violation of judiciary procedure. The High Court ruling is highly irregular and improper and we will appeal against the order tomorrow,” CFU Deputy Director Malcolm Vowles told Reuters.
Ten days ago, the Supreme Court, Zimbabwe’s highest court, said the government had violated its own land law and ordered the eviction of all people resettled under the “fast-track” programme.

But the Supreme Court reserved judgment on the wider question of whether the whole land reform initiative, including the decision not to pay compensation unless Britain provides the money, was unconstitutional. Justice Chidyausiku’s ruling on Monday overturned the Supreme Court’s eviction order on the grounds that the Supreme Court must first hear a “class case” filed by one settler, who said he is representing all peasants moved onto white farms. More than 1,000 white farms have been invaded since February.