Top army officer grabs conservancy land
http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=22926

September 21, 2009

By Owen Chikari

MASVINGO - Major general Engelbert Rugeje who is the army's chief of staff
has grabbed Wanezi Block Ranch in Mwenezi to join a long list of Zanu-PF
officials who have grabbed conservancies in the semi arid Masvingo Province.

Rugeje together with other unnamed senior army and police officers allegedly
grabbed vast tracks of land in Mwenezi as disturbances on white owned
properties continue.

Sources say several white owned conservators in Mwenezi have been ordered to
either vacate their properties or enter into partnership with blacks.

Although Rugeje could not be reached for comment Masvingo provincial
governor Titus Maluleke yesterday confirmed that he grabbed Wanezi Block
Ranch and has since been issued with an offer letter.

The governor pointed out that it was not Rugeje alone involved. Other senior
police and army officers had also been allocated land in order for them to
enter the lucrative wildlife management business.

"We have given land in Mwenezi to several people and Major General Rugeje is
one of them ", said Maluleke.

"I do not see why you want to publicise that because he is not the only one
who has been offered land but a number of senior army and police officers
have been given land.

Sources within the Commercial Farmers Union yesterday revealed Rugeje and
others had forced property owners to incorporate them in their wildlife
businesses without paying any money for their stake-hold.

"The issue is that white property owners were forced to incorporate senior
Zanu-PF officials in the wildlife business", said the source. "These new
partners are just incorporated without paying a single cent and we are
saying no to such day light robbery".

Rugeje joins the likes of Attorney General Johannes Tomana, President of the
council of chiefs, Fortune Charumbira, Chivi central legislator Paul
Munyaradzi Mangwana and others who grabbed conservancies in Masvingo,
arguing that the wildlife business was dominated by whites.

Last year during the run up to the presidential election run-off Rugeje
ordered the closure of all business in Masvingo and force marched people to
a rally in Mucheke stadium.

The army boss told the gathering at the rally that Zimbabwe was born through
the barrel of the gun hence those like the MDC-T who want to rule should
also take up arms to rule the country.

He said that soldiers would never beg for votes but instead would beat up
people for them to vote for a revolutionary party, meaning Zanu-PF.

Where is Wanezi?