By A Correspondent- Harare East member of parliament, Tendai Biti and Norton constituency lawmaker, Temba Mliswa on Wednesday exploded in parliament challenging the eviction of over 12 500 Chiredzi villagers from their land by the government.

The government last week okayed the forced eviction of the poor villagers through a statutory instrument which was issued by the Local Government Ministry.

Biti and Mliswa challenged the Local Government Minister, July Moyo, who was represented by his deputy, Marion Chombo, to explain the legality and moral basis of evicting peasant farmers from their ancestral land.

The evicted 12 500 villagers from Chilonga would make way for a lucerne grass project spearheaded by a local dairy producer.

Lucerne grass, also called alfalfa, is used for making hay or animal fodder.
Dendairy, a private milk producer, is said to be eyeing approximately 10 000 hectares of arable land for the lucerne production project meant for local and international markets.

Biti and Mliswa said the government did not consult the affected, before evicting them.

Chombo failed to answer the two and only to be rescued by her Zanu PF counterpart, Ziyambi Ziyambi who is also the minister of Justice.

The move by the government to evict these poor villager has been condemned by local civic society organisation committed to the development of socio-economic rights and agrarian systems that enhance equitable land rights and distribution — Masvingo Centre for Research Advocacy and Development (Macrad) which has described it as ‘disastrous”.