Vets vow to stay on farms

War veterans have vowed to remain on occupied white-owned commercial farms despite government moves to acquire 804 farms for resettlement, ‘The Herald’ reported on Friday.

Land being deserted by farmers protesting the occupations in Mashonaland will also be taken over for resettlement, the newspaper said.

War veterans leader Chenjerai Hunzvi said these farms would form the core of land on which thousands of landless villagers would be resettled. “We will not give up the farms we are occupying because the land is ours. We support Government’s efforts to acquire the 804 farms but that will not make us leave the farms,” he reportedly said.

The ex-combatants have taken over nearly 1,000 commercial farms since February, despite court orders demanding their removal and a Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) offer of 180 farms for resettlement.