Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri has defended the move by
the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) to declare Elphida Farm in Domboshava a
cantonment area, saying it was in the interest and safety of the civilians that
such a declaration was made
Muchinguri said when a sub division of Lichfield Willesden
was declared a cantonment area under section 6 of Statutory Instrument (SI) 93
of 2006 (Defence (Cantonments) Notice, 2006, by her predecessor, the ZDF’s move
was to ensure the country maintained its national security and at the same time
protected members of the public such as the 10 civilians that petitioned the
court challenging the declaration.
“The Defence ministry in declaring this area a cantonment
or protected area is actually ensuring the safety and security of these very
applicants who have brought this application before the court. There is also
Zimbabwe Defence Manufacturing Industry (ZDMI), where explosives are made and
tested. There is also the risk of accidental discharge within the area which might
put their lives at risk as well,” Muchinguri said.
“The restriction of unauthorised civilians in such an area
is a precautionary measure that we take in order to further our functions as
the ZDF as outlined in section 212 of the Constitution….the presence of
non-military personnel who are not authorised in the area poses a huge national
threat.”
Muchinguri made the remarks in her opposing affidavit filed
on September 18, 2018, to an application by A2 farmers – Samuel Mandiri, Alex
Mushinyi, Dzikamai Ngoshi, Isdore Mafuriranwa, Ponciano Govere, Dominic
Musekiwa, Lucy Chitsungo, Tinashe Mafuta, Roy Ngwenya and Obvious Mahlunje —
who approached the High Court seeking an order declaring section 6 of SI 93 of
2016 invalid and unconstitutional.
According to the farmers, on April 21, 2016 former Defence
minister Sydney Sekeramayi, made a declaration by publishing in the Government
Gazette notice number 44 in line with section 89 of the Defence Act which
placed Elphida Domboshava area into a military establishment.
The farmers argued that the development had resulted in
their leased farms being made military-controlled areas.
But in response, Muchinguri said the application has not
been properly put before the court for the reason that in matters involving
land claims, the Lands minister is an interested party and should therefore
have been cited in the application.
The matter is set for hearing today. Newsday
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