Over 70 families who invaded private land near Lake Chivero in Harare two decades ago and have been violent against the land developers are now facing eviction.
Nicholas Nyandoro, the owner of 829-hectare Warwick Township secured an eviction order against the 113 families early last year, but delayed implementing the order to give room for negotiations.
Only 23 families offered to cooperate with the owners and the 70 families, led by one Clayton Ndabaningi Matinyenya, would be evicted, it has emerged.
An official from Warwick Township disclosed that they were now targeting the 70 with eviction notices.
“We are choosing to go to the next stage and implement the eviction order on those who have resisted being with us,” said the official.
This would not be the first time evictions on Warwick Township have been implemented. Fifteen families were evicted in 2019 after they resisted cooperating with the land owners following an order by High Court judge Justice Benjamin Chikowero’s on September 226, 2018.
The decision to evict the second batch of 70 came after a group of war veterans led by Matinyenye destroyed construction equipment belonging to three developers working on site, Southlands, Highranch and Longlight in January this year. The equipment was estimated to cost over US$200 000.
They were arrested and will be back in court on April 10 to answer to charges of public violence and destruction of property.
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Matinyenya has another case of destroying another developer’s equipment. The case is being handled at Mbare Court under CRB7557. He has been working with a group of war veterans to cause havoc at Warwick Township.
According to the court papers, Matinyenya and his group invaded Warwick Farm around 2000 and the number kept swelling to over 400 families. The owners of the farm, the Nyandoro family, have been engaging the illegal settlers since then without any meaningful headway.
Somewhere around 2005, the land was gazetted by the government but the Nyandoro family secured court orders against the compulsory acquisition in 2013. The attorney general and registrar of deeds confirmed that the farm belonged to the family.
“In 2005, the farm was acquired by the government but the acquisition was cancelled by the court order 10098/2013. Our office effected the order in 2014 under consent 252/2014.
“As a result of this, the farm reverted back to Warwickshire (Pvt) (Ltd),” part of the letter by the registrar of deeds dated 10 October read.
The over 400 families claim in court papers that they were offered the land, but could not produce offer letters.
After Warwick secured a subdivision permit, the invaders were asked to contribute to the development levy and stay on the land according to the new plan.
A deed of settlement was signed with the invaders, war veterans and local politicians.
Most of the families abided by the agreement excerpt for 113 families. The MPs and councillors are signatories to the deed of settlement. The first eviction of 15 families was done in 2019.
Warwick got another eviction order in January 2024 by High Court judge Happias Zhou to evict 113 families, but did not effect it immediately to allow for further negotiations with the leaders of the invaders.
The engagement failed, forcing the land owners to pursue implementation of the second eviction order.
Apart from vandalising equipment in January this year, Matinyenya and his team also removed surveyors’ pegs in October 2024.
Warwick has all the necessary paperwork for the project, which include a private title deed, approved subdivision permit, partial development permit, partial dispensation certificate and a valid environmental impact assessment from the Environmental Management Agency issued in 2023.
This was after the subdivision plan was approved on October 14 2022 by the Ministry of Local Government.
The plan has 3700 residential stands, five commercial sites, space for schools, churches, two hotels, and a lodge and recreation park.
There is also space for a police post, among others as well as a water reticulation plant.
MP for the area, Decide Mananzva said he was happy with the developments made by Warwick.
“Such kind of development dovetails with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030,” he said.
“We are happy that the project has all the necessary paperwork and will bring development in Zvimba East.”
