The villagers
teamed up and approached the High Court seeking protection from eviction and
safeguarding their graves from desecration.
The villagers,
Friday Ngoshi, Ephraim Kabvuri and William Kapeta, who are being represented by
Norman Mugiya, have cited district development co-ordinator Prisca Dube, Chief
Chikwaka, Goromonzi Rural District Council chief executive officer Trust
Madhovi, councillor Aaron Shamhu, Member of Parliament Ozias Bvute, Air Force
of Zimbabwe wing commander Masongelwa Ndhlovu, Zimbabwe Defence Forces
commander General Valerio Sibanda and Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri
as respondents.
The plaintiffs,
Ngoshi, is the head for Gutsa village, Kabvuri is the secretary of the council
for elders, while Kapeta is vice-chairperson of the Zimbabwe Ex-Political
Prisoners, Detainees and Restrictees Children’s Association.
The village
comprises 400 households with an average of five people each.
The plaintiffs
are all residents of Gutsa village, having been born and bred in the village,
“which is the only place we call home and have always called home”.
The village has
always been inhabited by them and their subjects since time immemorial.
They submitted
that in June 2025, Ndhlovu went to Gutsa village under Headman Musonza in Chief
Chikwaka's jurisdiction, where he and his team surveyed the area.
After a few
days, Ndhlovu and his officers allegedly set up base in the village.
They submitted
that days later, Ndhlovu marked the entire village with pegs and did not inform
the plaintiffs and the villagers.
Ndhlovu and his
officers recently proceeded to clear the land and when the plaintiffs
confronted them to find out what was happening, that is when the former told
the plaintiffs that the area was designated for their developments and that the
Air Force of Zimbabwe wants to put a radar system in the area.
The plaintiffs
allegedly asked why they were not advised or at least consulted and Ndhlovu
told them that the army is above the law and the ruling Zanu PF party and that
the military is allowed to do as it pleases and has no obligation to anyone.
It was
submitted that in July this year, Ndhlovu and his officers dug trenches,
damaging roads, destroying graves and graveyards in the village as well as
demolishing the villagers’ homes and infrastructure without notice.
Ndhlovu told
the plaintiffs and their subjects to return to their ancestral lands.
They submitted
that most villagers were living in fear as Ndhlovu and his officers are
threatening to shoot and kill them as they are in possession of “high powered
guns, which they are using to instil fear in the people”.
They told the
court that Ndhlovu and his officers have ordered the villager demolish their
homes on their own failing which the Air Force will burn them down.
The plaintiffs
have spoken to the other defendants and leant that the Air Force of Zimbabwe
has partnered Chinese nationals.
The foreign
nationals are said to be in the business of brick moulding, disguised by the
Air Force as a radar system.
They submitted
that the villagers have not been told where to go and how to go there.
The villagers
said they had no idea why the Air Force of Zimbabwe was above the law and why
it was allowed to evict the entire village without a court order contrary to
the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
They submitted
that Ndhlovu has deployed armed men in the village to crush any resistance
after the villagers approached the Office of the President and
Muchinguri-Kashiri.
The villagers
said Ndhlovu had stripped them of their rights and reduced them to aliens in
their own country.
They submitted
that the conduct of the defendants is clearly unlawful and wrongful hence
cannot be allowed to persist in a country which thrives on a constitutional
democracy.
The villagers
are seeking the court to stop the Air Force of Zimbabwe from evicting them from
their ancestral land.
However,
Ndhlovu said the villagers should have cited commanding officer NADOCCC in the
Air Force of Zimbabwe, who is responsible for the construction of radar
systems.
He argued that
the Air Force of Zimbabwe followed due process of the law, saying the
relocation of the Air Force of Zimbabwe radar site from Mt Hampden to Goromonzi
was sanctioned in 2014 at the behest of government to pave way for construction
of the Parliament of Zimbabwe.
He argued that
the Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Resettlement ministry as the
responsible ministry was instructed to relocate the affected families, adding
that regarding recent activities, stakeholders and local leaders were duly
informed of the installation of the radar as a government project.
He further
argued that the area was designated for cantonment gazetting by the government
of Zimbabwe and due process was followed.
He submitted
that the Air Force of Zimbabwe is a creature of the Constitution of the
Republic of Zimbabwe and a highly disciplined law-abiding organisation, saying
its actions are within the confines of the law as the relocation was directed
by government.
He denied
allegations of violation of graves and graveyards, saying nothing was done and
that the government office responsible for relocation of the affected persons
had taken up the task and is in the process of securing alternative land.
He argued that
the Chinese company is running a business that is remitting revenue to the
national fiscus, saying a mutual agreement was entered into between the Air
Force of Zimbabwe and the Chinese company to coexist on the radar site.
“The
construction is lawful and due process was followed. Stakeholders were engaged
and consulted and alternative land is being sourced to relocate the affected
families,” the Air Force said.
“The
construction of the radar is of national interest and fully supported by
government.
“Above all, it
is essential for safeguarding the villagers from radiation exposure which over
time will be detrimental to their health.” Newsday
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