A prime 65,2-hectare industrial property in Harare has become the centre of a fierce legal and commercial tug of war. Fertiliser producer Windmill (Private) Limited recently won a High Court order to evict accused land barons. But far from retreating, the alleged invaders have regrouped — this time using social media platforms and real estate agents to market the land as residential stands. With unsuspecting buyers being lured into the scheme despite court orders, Windmill has been forced into an escalating battle to defend its asset. To unpack the legal, business and operational implications, our business editor, Tatira Zwinoira (TZ), sat down with Windmill CEO Kudakwashe Mundowozi (KM, pictured):
TZ: Tell us about your dispute with land barons.
KM: Windmill is the lawful owner of the land in question and holds a valid title deed. The property has been zoned as industrial land since 1981 and forms part of a major industrial corridor that includes companies such as Seed Co, Afdis, and Buffalo. Government and private sector stakeholders have made significant investments to develop this corridor, most notably the Makoni railway siding by the National Railways of Zimbabwe, which serves the entire industrial area and is in the invaded section, Kinvara. Even in the New City Plan, Kinvara remains designated for industrial use. It is important to note that this was never agricultural land, and was not subject to the fast-track land redistribution programme. Despite this, two individuals — James Gurupira and Taremedzwa Kapungu — claimed to hold offer letters for the same land. How these letters were obtained remains unclear.
TZ: What is the Lands ministry saying about this?
KM: The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development has confirmed in writing that these offers were issued in error, and even proposed alternative land allocations for one of the claimants. Windmill successfully secured the eviction of Gurupira from the property and obtained a High Court order to demolish all unauthorised structures erected by him and his associates.
TZ: Did you manage to demolish the structures?
KM: Before the Sheriff could carry out the demolition to make way for Windmill’s planned development, Kapungu arrived with a tractor-loader-backhoe and began “developing” the land. This time, he teamed up with Tsikwi Veterans Enterprises, fronted by one Aspire Mutingwende. Unlike previous attempts, this group began actively marketing the land and collecting deposits from unsuspecting members of the public, under the label “Tsikwi Phase 1 — Westgate Extension.” Windmill swiftly sought and obtained an urgent spoliation order from the High Court, and the Sheriff is in the process of evicting the perpetrators. However, despite the court order, Tsikwi continues to advertise the land and collect deposits, a clear demonstration that their intent is purely to defraud. The land’s fraudulent marketing is now appearing widely on social media and through real estate agents. It is evident that the perpetrators are seeking only to collect deposits, with no legal ability or intention to allocate land to the public.
TZ: What steps have you taken to rectify the situation?
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KM: Shortly after the eviction of Gurupira, Kapungu and his associates, working in the dead of night, moved onto Windmill’s land. They used a backhoe to scrape what appeared to be road openings, erected a makeshift wooden cabin, and partially fenced about 1 000 square metres of the property. They then took photographs and began marketing the land on social media, offering stands to unsuspecting buyers. Upon discovering these activities, Windmill acted swiftly to halt them and approached the High Court, seeking an urgent spoliation order to restore the land to its lawful condition. The court granted the order and issued a further eviction mandate, which was duly served to Kapungu, Mutingwende, and their associates. Concurrently, Windmill launched a robust public warning campaign alerting citizens not to fall victim to this fraudulent scheme.
TZ: Did this intervention help?
KM: Despite the High Court’s intervention, the perpetrators have continued attempting to market the land and collect deposits. Windmill emphasises that these actions are illegal, have no legal foundation, and are part of a deliberate attempt to defraud members of the public.
TZ: Before intervening, were any portions of the land sold, and if so what is the total amount lost?
KM: Windmill is not aware of any portions of the land being legitimately sold. The company’s focus has been to stop fraudulent activities before they escalate, protecting both the asset and the public from being misled.
TZ: Are you putting any measures in place to protect the land from future abuse?
KM: For Windmill, breaking ground and commencing development is the ultimate protection. Once our industrial complex is operational, there will be no opportunity for fraudulent occupation. The company is determined to move forward and stop expending energy on unnecessary battles, focusing instead on productive use of the asset.
TZ: Can you also give us an update on how Windmill has been performing?
KM: Windmill is currently under corporate rescue, with a focus on stabilising operations and addressing creditor obligations. Since implementing the turnaround plan, the company has stopped the bleeding, and green shoots are visible. While salaries are not yet fully consistent, we are on track to meet them regularly as we right-size and reposition the business for long term sustainability.
Cash flow is improving, and steps such as industrial land sales are being taken to generate funds to settle creditors. The corporate rescue professional has provided invaluable external perspective, helping to accelerate recovery. Overall, the outlook is cautiously optimistic, with a clear path toward operational normalisation and sustainable growth.
TZ: Describe any new projects or innovations Windmill is currently working on.
KM: Windmill is actively introducing digitisation across its operations, using technology to improve efficiency, monitoring, and reporting throughout the agricultural value chain.
This is expected to enhance our agronomy services, helping farmers achieve better yields and manage their crops more effectively. The ultimate focus, however, is the Kinvara Industrial Complex, which we are developing as an integrated agro industrial hub.
TZ: How is Windmill also tapping into the informal and regional markets?
KM: Windmill is restructuring its route to market to recover efficiently and create a springboard for growth. By rationalising its retail network and focusing on a closer to market model, the company ensures small and medium scale enterprises, including informal market players, have reliable access to fertilisers, agrochemicals, and essential agronomy services. This approach stabilises operations and positions Windmill to scale effectively. The Kinvara Industrial Complex will be the central avenue for regional trade.
TZ: How will that be helpful?
KM: As a modern, integrated hub, it allows Windmill to coordinate storage, distribution, and supply chains in a way that benefits the broader economy. By operating in a country with a strategic posture to serve regional markets, Windmill can leverage national infrastructure and economic frameworks to extend its reach across the Sadc region, strengthening both domestic and regional agricultural value chains.
TZ: What are the main challenges Windmill is facing?
KM: Windmill is currently under corporate rescue, which presents an inherent challenge, but also a strategic opportunity to recalibrate and strengthen the business for the future. The process requires intensive focus on resolving creditor obligations and stabilising operations — critical steps to unlocking working capital and ensuring sustainable growth. At the same time, the fertiliser industry is undergoing significant regional developments, and Zimbabwe risks being left behind if local players do not act decisively. This calls for swift, collaborative action among local industry participants to reduce costs and ensure farmers benefit from affordable, high quality inputs.
Building these collaborations is complex and time sensitive, requiring careful coordination and trust among stakeholders. External disruptions, such as the recent unauthorised occupation of the Kinvara site, add frustration and threaten to derail well intentioned projects. Incidents like these not only impede Windmill’s operations but also undermine national development ambitions, as they divert attention and resources from initiatives designed to strengthen Zimbabwe’s agricultural and industrial sectors.
Despite these challenges, Windmill remains committed to its turnaround plan, strengthening operational resilience, and leveraging its strategic assets — including the Kinvara Industrial Complex — to support both national and regional agricultural growth.
