THE British government has reportedly rejected President Robert Mugabe’s choice of ambassador-designate, Ray Ndhlukula for undisclosed reasons, it has been reported.
Ndhlukula, currently a deputy chief secretary to the President and Cabinet, has been embroiled in a bitter tussle over Centenary Farm in Figtree with David Connolly.
Sources close to the developments told NewsDay that Britain had indicated it would not accept Ndhlukula’s appointment after Mugabe nominated him as his choice of ambassador to replace long-serving, Gabriel Machinga, a former Education minister.
“They have rejected the President’s nomination likely because of the farm seizures,” NewsDay heard.
Foreign Affairs permanent secretary Joey Bimha said the British government had not officially communicated with Harare regarding their reservations.
“They have not officially communicated with us over the issue. We have not heard from them,” he said, adding: “The Presidency could be better placed because such issues are done in confidence.”
The British Embassy in Harare was also reluctant to comment on the issue
“We do not comment on ambassadorial appointments,” the embassy said in an emailed response, despite having requested questions in writing.
In March last year, Connolly celebrated a short-lived victory after the Bulawayo High Court ordered Ndhlukula off the farm and sentenced the senior civil servant to a suspended 90-day jail term on condition he complied with the order issued in case number HC1204/14 with 14 days.
Ndhlukula stayed put, but despite the contempt, was not sent to jail.
Instead, Connolly was charged with illegally staying on the farm before the case crumbled, as magistrates in Gwanda seemed reluctant to hear the matter.
The wrangle continues despite Ndhlukula having two other farms in Matabeleland South, Wilfred Hope Farm in Marula, and Vlakfontein, known as Subdivision 2 of Marula Block.
Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector, once the backbone of the economy, imploded, leaving millions without jobs.
Mugabe, once the darling of the West, has refused to pay compensation for land, but insists his administration will only pay for developments on the farms.
The fall-out over the land issue, as well as alleged rights abuses and electoral theft has seen Mugabe and his close aides placed under sanctions, while the United States passed a law that the Zanu PF leader has blamed for the country’s economic troubles in the past decade and half.-Newsday
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Figtree farmer David Connolly vows to defy Mugabe’s aide
Figtree farmer David Connolly, who is being kicked out of his farm by President Robert Mugabe’s close aide, Ray Ndhlukula has vowed to stay put.
Connolly accuses Ndhlukula of wrongfully dragging the name of the Head of State in the messy fight over the farm.
Connolly told The Standard yesterday that Ndhlukula was employing dirty tactics in order to kick him out of his farm by invoking Mugabe’s name in the land-grabbing saga.
“He said he got the farm from President Mugabe and I think it’s a way of trying to intimidate me. But I will not be intimidated by such empty threats. How can the President do that? It cannot be true. He cannot give such instructions, never. He thinks if he says that to me then I will leave my farm and go away, no,” the farmer said.
Connolly said the farm ownership wrangle had since put his other family members in trouble.
“My brother Michael was visited by the Plumtree District Administrator and a person in charge of the lands in the district, one Dodzi on Friday and they warned him they wanted to chuck him out of his farm because I had filed papers in court against the government,” he said.
“They think if they put pressure on my brother I will go and sit down with them and withdraw the matter from the courts, but I will not do that. I am at the farm legally and if there was any court order evicting me from it, I would not have resisted.”
The farmer said he applied for contempt of court charges against Ndhlukula on August 13 this year after the latter continued to interfere with his farming activities despite a court order for him to stop interfering.
“On the 13th of August we applied for the contempt of court matter to be dealt with at the High Court and we are still waiting for the matter to be set down for hearing. All the papers have been filed and Ndhlukula also filed his,” Connolly said.
“Right now I am contemplating all the losses I have made and I am going to file a civil suit against Ndhlukula to claim everything that I have lost as a result of his actions.”
According to Connolly, Ndhlukula chased him out of his farm and took over crops worth many thousands of dollars.
Ndhlukula has been trying to move onto Centenary Farm since June this year despite a High Court order barring him from interfering with operations at the property, one of the most productive farms in Matabeleland South.
His workers started camping at Connolly’s farm in August after the eviction of Connolly’s farm workers from their dwellings.
On Wednesday Connolly’s workers were stopped from growing their crops by Ndhlukula’s workers before the farm was barricaded.
Ben Freeth, spokesperson of the Sadc Tribunal Rights Watch said in a statement. “Connolly was chased out of his home. Barricades were put up to stop him coming back and irrigating or reaping the 300 000 onion plants he still has in the ground, or planting the 50 000 cabbage seedlings he has ready to plant this week.”
“There was no choice, but for him and his workers to go to the police station again.
“The offer letter [which Ndhlukula claims to have] is yet to be produced, but the Connollys and their workers left the police station, deeply distressed, as so many thousands of farmers, farm workers and their families have before them, without being offered protection.”
Ndhlukula could not be reached for comment yesterday.
