A MUREHWA traditional leader has approached the courts seeking to block the government from turning a farmhouse at Hilton Farm into a clinic.
In his submissions, Chief Mangwende, real name Morgan Gatsi, claimed that the same building houses his community court.
According to court papers filed at Murehwa Magistrates Court on June 11, Chief Mangwende sought an interdict to stop turning the farmhouse into a clinic despite the community, council and political leaders welcoming the development.
"The background is that Hilton Farm was designated for resettlement and people are resettled at this farm,” Chief Mangwende submitted.
“The portion of the farm remained unoccupied for a long period and there is a farmhouse on that portion of the land. This is the farmhouse I am using as a community court.”
The farmhouse, which stands out in a hilly area, has been unoccupied for years.
The government recently turned the farm house into a clinic to ease the shortage of medical facilities in the Murehwa South Constituency.
“Much as I support the respondents' effort to open a clinic in the area, I disagree with them that the clinic should be based in the building at Hilton Farm since a community court is already established in that building,” he submitted.
- Makore’s family still searching for answers a year later
- Makore’s family still searching for answers a year later
- Man nabbed for sodomising son
- Two Murehwa siblings succumb to food poisoning
Keep Reading
"With all due respect, the respondents are taking the law into their own hands to close the community court and to replace it with a clinic in that building, since they will have to travel to Murehwa Community Court at high expense.
“I hereby apply for an interdict from this honourable court directing the respondents not to interfere with the activities of Chief Mangwende's community court in the farmhouse at Hilton Farm."
Chief Mangwende cited the ministries of Local Government and Lands, Murehwa South legislator Noah Mangondo, Zanu PF Murehwa district co-ordinating committee chairperson Israel Maliki, area councillor Wellington Hodzi and one George Dzemwa as respondents.
Hilton Farm, near Barrymore and the Virginia area, was subdivided into 53 plots during the land reform programme in the early 2000s.
Thousands of resettled farmers and villagers from surrounding areas are travelling more than 20km to the nearest clinic at Virginia or Waterloo.
Some of the farms and villages to benefit from the newly-established clinic include Chilinda, Glenwaves, Pagomba, Langjam Konine, Dontlestone, Kasipiti and River Baller, among many others.
