Land issue - Zanu-PF steals from history

Zanu-PF and Robert Mugabe never wanted to give land to the people. That they are claiming spearheading the exercise is one of history's biggest lie.

A string of events happened from 1996 until 2000 when it became clear that Zanu-PF had failed to run the country. ESAP had failed. All other programmes coined in a bid to rejuvenate the economy had also failed.

One of those events was Chief Svosve – Enock Muvirimi Zenda – who led his people to reclaim their ancestral land at Daskop farm where the Svosves used to hold their rituals in the Manyimo Caves. But the Svosves were driven out of the land.

Ex-combatants led by Chenjerai Hunzvi and Joseph Chinotimba led a crusade against Zanu-PF and Mugabe demanding compensation. Mugabe refused to meet them as their patron. Unfazed, Hunzvi threatened to lead his people and camp at State House until Mugabe addressed their grievances.

Driven into a corner, and realising that Hunzvi and the ex-combatants were a real threat, Mugabe had no choice but to surrender. He agreed to paying them huge amounts. This victory given to Hunzvi and his people was unprecedented.

But for Mugabe, the ex-combatant would be his last card in a political game that was becoming tough to play especially with the economy dying.

Then the riots came when food prices became unstable. The whole country went up in smoke with looting in major cities. The referendum on the constitution was held and Zanu-PF lost.

All these blows were heavy on Zanu-PF and Mugabe. It dawned to them that they were losing power. In the midst of these defeats, Morgan Tsvangirai took advantage and formed MDC.

Once in years, Zanu-PF had no power. Mugabe was desperate. The World Ban and IMF refused to extend balance of payments to a country that was quickly sinking.

After the referendum, Hunzvi and the ex-combatants proved to be Mugabe and Zanu-PF's salvation when they stood up against the referendum that saw what was most probably the largest number of whites coming out to vote since 1980.

This infuriated Hunzvi and the ex-combatant such that they declared war on the farmers. They also went all out to grab farms and drive out white farmers.

The first land grabs were heavily criticised by Zanu-PF and there were efforts to stop the ex-combatants from taking more farms. But with Hunzvi's reputation, nobody dared stop him. After all, Hunzvi had successfully made government pay and cornered Mugabe.

The earlier grumbles died down when it was realised that Hunzvi meant business. As has been the case with Zanu-PF in the past, Mugabe and his ministers jumped onto the bandwagon, claiming the land invasion victories.

This is the second time Zanu has claimed victory by default. The other time was when Zapu was given the opportunity to open up camps in Mozambique in the mid-70s. The late Rex Nhongo (Solomon Mujuru) was a Zipra commander then. He was also in charge of opening up the eastern frontier for Zapu. The eastern frontier would have given Zapu a wide berth because it also controlled the northern frontier, leaving Zipla with nothing much.

Mujuru was then 'stolen' over to Zanu and Zapu only realised later that they had lost the eastern frontier through trickery.

Today, nobody remembers the Svosves. Zenda died of suspected food poisoning while his successor Ganda was found murdered – he was strangled with shoe laces.