By A Correspondent| In Makoni, we have stopped the arbitrary eviction of families of five villagers including the demolition of their homesteads after obtaining an order from the High Court prohibiting Makoni Rural District Council from interfering with their settlement.

The prohibition order was granted Monday by High Court Judge Justice Muzenda after Peggy Tavagadza of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) filed an application challenging their eviction from their homes by Makoni Rural District Council.

The villagers, who are unemployed and are subsistence farmers, settled in Nemaire Village 24 in Makoni District in Manicaland in 2011, where they built their homesteads. They are all descendants of former farm workers having become homeless after the Bingaguru Farm was compulsorily acquired by the State.

They proceeded to seek land in Nemaire Village and were integrated into the village by the Village Head Amandos Kariyo with the consent of Chief Makoni in terms of the Traditional Leaders’ Act.