Posted by Mutare, January 06, 2010 – Retired former army chief, Major General Edzai Chimonyo, who is Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Tanzania, has invaded a banana plantation in Burma Valley, east of Mutare, which is owned by Malaysian investors in a move that may upset investment relations with the Asian Tiger.
banana_plantation_
Chimonyo led by a group of armed soldiers is said to have moved into the banana plantation owned by Matanuska and immediately started to harvest ripe bananas, whose value has not yet been ascertained.
Matanuska, a major banana exporter, is owned by Malaysian investors and the business falls under the Bilateral Investment Protection Agreement (BIPA).
However, Chimonyo has refused to recognize that status and is insisting he was legally allocated the plantation in 2006 by the then lands minister, Didymus Mutasa.
“Chimonyo is here and has taken over the plantation,” said a worker from Matanuska. “Armed soldiers are all over the plantation.”
There was no immediate comment from Chimonyo but officials from Matanuska had approached the High Court seeking his immediate eviction from the plantation.
There was talk that the Malaysian government had approached the Zimbabwean government to formally complain about the invasion of the plantations.
Sources said soldiers had already begun harvesting the bananas and selling them to various outlets in Mutare.
Additional Reporting:~ Radio VOP
“Chimonyo is here and has taken over the plantation,” said a worker from Matanuska. “Armed soldiers are all over the plantation.”
THIS IS THE GOVENMENT HAT SADC WANTS TO RULE ZIMBABWE. THUGS WHO REAP WERE THEY DID NOT SOW.
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Yes Baba Tee,the gvt composed of the MDC and Zanoids.Anyway,how is he going to farm?Remote controlled farming,since according to this report he should be based in Tanzania,what freaks we have in Zim.
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Malaysia has been haven to Mugabe and his cronies and this is how he pays his friends, hahahahahahahaha, this is Mugabe for you Malaysia, youu served to provide banks for our pilfered millions now it is pay back time.
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Where is MDC? They were better as oppositon
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This has nothing to do with MDC, no MDC official has grabbed a farm by ginya, name one. The people who brought the suffering to Zimbabwe are land grabbing not knowing the big wheel keeps on turning and soon it wiill change, one day all will change.
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MDC should be heard condeming all this. They are not grabbing any land but noone is saying anything anymore. They should keep the pressure on on ZANU PF
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Magaso,u are right.Where is the other partner?
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