By A Correspondent
The Deputy Minister of Environment, John Paradza, has sparked outrage in Chatsworth, Gutu, after reportedly invading Lauder Farm, a property formerly owned by the late ZANU PF stalwart Shuvai Mahofa.
The move has provoked accusations of betrayal and abuse of power, especially from Mahofa’s children, who say they pleaded with Paradza to leave their family land untouched.
“Paradza is taking over the same farms that my mother fought for — it’s painful,” said a family member who requested anonymity. “We asked him to give us time to sort things out, but he went ahead anyway.”
According to local sources, Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) officials arrived at Mahofa’s homestead last week to drill a borehole on Paradza’s instructions, a move widely interpreted as a show of control and an initial step in asserting authority over the property.
Paradza is reportedly claiming not just Lauder Farm, but also Rancho Farm, both of which were acquired by Mahofa during Zimbabwe’s controversial land reform programme over a decade ago. At the time, she was supported by her late daughter Erita Mahofa, who worked in the office of then-President Robert Mugabe.
“This shows how fragile land ownership is in Zimbabwe, especially land acquired under political patronage,” said a local observer. “Today it’s yours, tomorrow it’s gone — even if you were once among the most powerful in the party.”
The incident has raised eyebrows in political circles, with critics noting the irony of Mahofa’s family now being displaced using the same tactics once employed during farm takeovers.
“What goes around comes around,” said one ZANU PF insider. “But this is also a lesson to all who think political protection lasts forever.”
Both Lauder and Rancho Farms, once considered productive hubs in Gutu, have reportedly fallen into disrepair. A US$150,000 center pivot irrigation system, donated by former Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono under the Farm Mechanisation Programme, now lies unused in the field — a symbol of Zimbabwe’s failing agricultural reform legacy.
Despite growing criticism, Paradza has not publicly commented on the matter.
Meanwhile, Mahofa’s children remain at risk of losing everything — caught in a power play that mirrors Zimbabwe’s long-standing issues with land insecurity and political opportunism.