By- Villagers from Chilonga Communal lands, Chiredzi, Masvingo, are facing fresh evictions after the High Court has dismissed their appeal against the formed displacement.

The villagers were challenging some sections of the Communal Lands Act, which vests rural land in the President. They argued it was a colonial relic premised on a racist concept that an African could not own land.

The villagers also argued that the Communal Lands Act is a racist and colonial creature that regards Africans as too uncivilised to own land.

The villagers queried how an African can own a house in Harare’s plush suburb of Borrowdale but cannot own his ancestral home in areas such as Chiredzi, Mwenezi, Dotito, Chendambuya, Nkayi or Tsholotsho.
About 12 000 villagers face displacement.

The evictions are meant to pave the way for a commercial irrigation venture.
Chilonga villagers were being represented by MDC Alliance Vice President, Tendai Biti who is a Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights member.