Land invaders vow to stay put

Over 10,000 families that occupied undesignated farms in Zimbabwe’s southern Masvingo province are in a tense stand-off with the government which wants them moved out immediately, the ‘Daily News’ reported on Monday. They have defied an eviction order served on them by the state, with one of their leaders vowing they would not move out unless they are offered alternative land. Masvingo provincial administrator, Alphonse Chikurira, said the families had refused to leave the farms they occupied at the height of farm invasions spearheaded by self-styled war veterans. “These people moved on to the farms after the government had banned fresh farm invasions in July last year,” said Chikurira. Leonard Moyo, a war veteran who moved onto one of the undesignated farms told The Daily News at the weekend that he would not move unless he was given alternative land. “If it is a government order to remove us from these farms we are ready for any battle,” said Moyo. “It has to be noted that the same government sanctioned these farms invasions and now they want to remove us because the farms either belong to ministers or their friends,” he added.