Violent land seizure :Protest to revoke citizenship of British GP accused of throwing white Zimbabwean family off their farm grows
Main News Zimbabwe

Violent land seizure :Protest to revoke citizenship of British GP accused of throwing white Zimbabwean family off their farm grows

PROTESTERS have called on David Cameron to revoke a Zimbabwean-born GP’s citizenship after he was accused of evicting white tobacco farmers when a gang of 20 armed men stormed the property.

 from their £1million farm land

IG

A gang armed with AK47 guns forced Phillip Rankin and his wife Anita from their £1million farm land

A gang armed with AK47 guns forced Phillip Rankin and his wife Anita from their £1million farm land in a controversial ‘land grab’.

The 2,000-acre property was seized and given to Zimbabwean-born Dr Sylvester Nyatsurowho lives 7,500 miles away in Nottingham.

The wealthy Zimbabwe-born GP, who moved to Britain in 2000 to set up a slimming clinic, is believed to be close to dictator Robert Mugabe.

Campaigners claim the latest incident is another example of the 91-year-old president seizing land from white farmers and giving it to black Zimbabweans as part of his ‘land reform’ programme.

Dr Nyatsuro's UK citizenshipPH

A petition has called on British Prime Minister David Cameron to revoke Dr Nyatsuro’s UK citizenship

The controversial government policy means around 90 per cent of white farmers have been driven from their land.

Dozens of protestors gathered outside his Willow Medical Centre in Carlton, Nottingham to campaign against the latest land grab late last week.

They also held placards which read: “Dr Nyatsuro, you are trained to save lives, not destroy them” and “No Mugabe supporters in the UK”.

A petition which started earlier this week called on British Prime Minister David Cameron to revoke Dr Nyatsuro’s UK citizenship and has already garnered more than 4,000 signatures.

A Zimbabwe-based solicitor for the family, Fungai Chimwamurombe, insisted the doctor has “no connections at all” to President Mugabe.

The Zimbabwe-born GP is believedIG

The Zimbabwe-born GP is believed to be close to dictator Robert Mugabe

He also said the land lawfully belongs to the GP’s family and claims it wasn’t taken as part of the redistribution scheme.

Mr Chimwamurombe added the Rankins had not been able to prove that they are the rightful owners of the land.

The lawyer from Danziger and Partners explained: “The government’s position is that the farm was acquired over a decade ago. Any Zimbabwean has a right to benefit from the land reform programme.

“The issue here is not between our client and Mr Rankin because he is only a third party who applied generally for land years back.

“He was on the waiting list for a long time and was offered this state land on the strength of his application.”

Nyatsuro's clinic this weekGETTY

Protest outside Dr Nyatsuro’s clinic this week

Dr Nyatsuro was not aware the farm was occupied by the Rankins until he went to take possession of the property allocated to him by the government, according to Mr Chimwamurombe

Meanwhile, the GP’s wife, Victoria Nyatsuro has also denied rumours she is related to Mugabe’s wife Grace.

The wealthy couple own two luxurious homes in Nottingham as well as Mercedes sports cars.

When approached earlier this week, the 45-year-old GP refused to apologise to the Rankins for their eviction.

Nyasha Mupta, a law officer at Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Lands, said: “The piece of land was acquired by the state in 2005.

“Since then, it’s only the person who has an offer letter issued by the Ministry of Lands that has authority for the land – that’s the Nyatsuro’s.”

 seizing the farm propertyIG

The gang after seizing the farm property

The Rankin family, who had worked on the farm for 35 years, say they have been ruined by the eviction.

The couple were led away in handcuffs by “thugs” who locked the farm’s gates behind them and threw their belongings into a police van.

Mr Rankin, who is currently staying with relatives at a nearby farm, said he was “terribly shocked” by the dawn eviction.

One of his children, Barry, 32, said: “I think we have finally accepted that we are not going back to the farm. We are all finished.”

The family said the home is now under guard by seven members of the police who have prevented workers from using the tractor.

patrolling the propertyIG

Men armed with AK47 machine guns patrolling the property

Mr Rankin added the family are struggling to afford the mounting legal bills to defend themselves.

He said: “It was our business – but more important than that, it was our home. We have never owned anything other than the farm and that’s gone in one weekend.

“It doesn’t make sense to me, how a doctor who lives in the UK can come and take our land.”

Rankins out of their own farmIG

The gang locked the Rankins out of their own farm

Mrs Rankin also said she “could no longer cope” with the campaign of intimidation from so-called “thugs” employed by the GP

She added: ‘We don’t know where we will live or what we will do. I am born and bred on a farm. I don’t know town life. And I only know Zimbabwe.’

The couple had employed 40 permanent workers and at least 20 casuals during peak season.

A Foreign Office spokesman voiced concern that the seizure of the farm “did not follow the process as described by the constitution”.

A spokesman said: “We are aware of the allegation that the beneficiary of this farm may be a British citizen.”-express

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