Essex woman rants against 'whites' as she takes over a snatched Zimbabwe farm
Jane Flanagan and Andrew Alderson | 24.09.2002 23:55
A white British woman who formerly worked as a local government officer in Essex is the latest and most unlikely beneficiary of Robert Mugabe's land-grab policy in Zimbabwe. <- More evidence of how false Mugabe's claim that he's redistributing land to the poor really is!
Essex woman rants against 'whites' as she takes over a snatched Zimbabwe farm
By Jane Flanagan in Harare and Andrew Alderson
(Filed: 22/09/2002)
A white British woman who formerly worked as a local government officer in Essex is the latest and most unlikely beneficiary of Robert Mugabe's land-grab policy in Zimbabwe.
Anne Matonga and her black Zimbabwean husband, Bright, have been given possession of a 1,500-acre farm after it was seized from a white farmer on the orders of the President.
Mrs Matonga's new home, which the farmer and his family had lived on for four generations, is a reward for her husband's support of Mugabe, whose dictatorial policies are responsible for Zimbabwe being ostracised by much of the outside world.
Mr Matonga, 34, was until recently the head of the pro-Mugabe Zimbabwean Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) and now works for another government department.
Last week Mrs Matonga, 39, tended spring roses at her new home, while the rightful owners, Vincent and Monica Schultz, tried to get accustomed to their new life in a tiny flat in Harare, the capital.
Despite moving to Zimbabwe only last year after a lifetime in Britain, Mrs Matonga last week spoke angrily, and without a hint of irony, against the "white colonialists who stole our land".
Mrs Matonga, who married her husband in Britain five years ago, praised President Mugabe for his "patience with the racist white farmers" as she spoke to The Telegraph at her new home in Banket, 50 miles north of Harare. She said those evicted by force "only have themselves to blame".
Mrs Matonga, speaking in a broad south Essex accent, dismissed as "nothing but propaganda" reports of widespread starvation across Zimbabwe and allegations that Mugabe had won this year's election by vote-rigging and crushing any opposition.
As personal bodyguards from Mugabe's feared youth militia slept under nearby trees, Mrs Matonga told how she regularly has to counter "negative" stories about the crisis in Zimbabwe. "Britain should keep its nose out of Zimbabwe. Tony Blair has no right to interfere," she said.
After delivering her diatribe, Mrs Matonga returned to supervising the crop of roses that had been planted earlier this year by Mr and Mrs Schultz, who are now living in a borrowed two-bedroom flat in Harare where they say they are "suffering endless sleepless nights".
The Matongas, who also have a spacious house in a prosperous suburb of Harare, were "resettled" on the farm last month, for which they had to pay nothing. There were, however, extraordinary scenes at Mupandagutu Farm when the Matongas arrived at the gate to "reclaim her land".
Mr Schultz had been arrested by the police for defying the eviction order only minutes before. "Mrs Matonga was screaming at me: 'Get off our land: we are taking back what you stole from our forefathers'," said Mrs Schultz. "I thought it was a remarkable thing for her to say since she was clearly white and British."
Mr Schultz, 57, is now virtually penniless. The couple, who are among more than 3,000 white Zimbabwean farmers being handed eviction orders, spent the last of their savings - £11,000 - on severance packages for their 130 workers. Despite this they received an angry call from Mr Matonga on his mobile telephone demanding the return of irrigation pipes they had sold to pay their staff.
"We are feeling very bitter about the whole thing," said Mr Schultz. "We are left with absolutely nothing." His wife was born 58 years ago on the farm, which her family bought in the 1920s.
In Britain, the behaviour of Bright and Anne Matonga has angered former friends and acquaintances, many of whom campaigned for Mr Matonga to be allowed to complete his degree when he faced being sent back to Zimbabwe.
Inquiries by The Telegraph have revealed that the Matongas met in Essex during the mid-1990s while she worked for the county council and he was a student at South East Essex College in Southend-on-Sea.
As Mr Matonga neared the end of his degree, he faced being ordered out of Britain by the Home Office for not meeting the requirements of a university student. However, Sir Teddy Taylor, his local Conservative MP, successfully campaigned on his behalf.
After graduating, Mr Matonga worked as a journalist with ZBC and also for the BBC World Service, before last year going back to live in Zimbabwe where he was promised a job by Jonathan Moyo, the information minister.
Mr Matonga was made the head of television services at ZBC. He is currently the chief executive officer of the state-owned Zimbabwe United Passenger Company.
Sir Teddy, MP for Rochford and Southend East, was surprised to learn this weekend of the behaviour of the Matongas, who now have a four-year-old son.
Mr Matonga had appeared to be an intelligent, well-educated man, said Sir Teddy. "I am saddened and disappointed if he has turned out to be a rascal, a thug and a vagabond: one of Mugabe's henchman."
By Jane Flanagan in Harare and Andrew Alderson
(Filed: 22/09/2002)
A white British woman who formerly worked as a local government officer in Essex is the latest and most unlikely beneficiary of Robert Mugabe's land-grab policy in Zimbabwe.
Anne Matonga and her black Zimbabwean husband, Bright, have been given possession of a 1,500-acre farm after it was seized from a white farmer on the orders of the President.
Mrs Matonga's new home, which the farmer and his family had lived on for four generations, is a reward for her husband's support of Mugabe, whose dictatorial policies are responsible for Zimbabwe being ostracised by much of the outside world.
Mr Matonga, 34, was until recently the head of the pro-Mugabe Zimbabwean Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) and now works for another government department.
Last week Mrs Matonga, 39, tended spring roses at her new home, while the rightful owners, Vincent and Monica Schultz, tried to get accustomed to their new life in a tiny flat in Harare, the capital.
Despite moving to Zimbabwe only last year after a lifetime in Britain, Mrs Matonga last week spoke angrily, and without a hint of irony, against the "white colonialists who stole our land".
Mrs Matonga, who married her husband in Britain five years ago, praised President Mugabe for his "patience with the racist white farmers" as she spoke to The Telegraph at her new home in Banket, 50 miles north of Harare. She said those evicted by force "only have themselves to blame".
Mrs Matonga, speaking in a broad south Essex accent, dismissed as "nothing but propaganda" reports of widespread starvation across Zimbabwe and allegations that Mugabe had won this year's election by vote-rigging and crushing any opposition.
As personal bodyguards from Mugabe's feared youth militia slept under nearby trees, Mrs Matonga told how she regularly has to counter "negative" stories about the crisis in Zimbabwe. "Britain should keep its nose out of Zimbabwe. Tony Blair has no right to interfere," she said.
After delivering her diatribe, Mrs Matonga returned to supervising the crop of roses that had been planted earlier this year by Mr and Mrs Schultz, who are now living in a borrowed two-bedroom flat in Harare where they say they are "suffering endless sleepless nights".
The Matongas, who also have a spacious house in a prosperous suburb of Harare, were "resettled" on the farm last month, for which they had to pay nothing. There were, however, extraordinary scenes at Mupandagutu Farm when the Matongas arrived at the gate to "reclaim her land".
Mr Schultz had been arrested by the police for defying the eviction order only minutes before. "Mrs Matonga was screaming at me: 'Get off our land: we are taking back what you stole from our forefathers'," said Mrs Schultz. "I thought it was a remarkable thing for her to say since she was clearly white and British."
Mr Schultz, 57, is now virtually penniless. The couple, who are among more than 3,000 white Zimbabwean farmers being handed eviction orders, spent the last of their savings - £11,000 - on severance packages for their 130 workers. Despite this they received an angry call from Mr Matonga on his mobile telephone demanding the return of irrigation pipes they had sold to pay their staff.
"We are feeling very bitter about the whole thing," said Mr Schultz. "We are left with absolutely nothing." His wife was born 58 years ago on the farm, which her family bought in the 1920s.
In Britain, the behaviour of Bright and Anne Matonga has angered former friends and acquaintances, many of whom campaigned for Mr Matonga to be allowed to complete his degree when he faced being sent back to Zimbabwe.
Inquiries by The Telegraph have revealed that the Matongas met in Essex during the mid-1990s while she worked for the county council and he was a student at South East Essex College in Southend-on-Sea.
As Mr Matonga neared the end of his degree, he faced being ordered out of Britain by the Home Office for not meeting the requirements of a university student. However, Sir Teddy Taylor, his local Conservative MP, successfully campaigned on his behalf.
After graduating, Mr Matonga worked as a journalist with ZBC and also for the BBC World Service, before last year going back to live in Zimbabwe where he was promised a job by Jonathan Moyo, the information minister.
Mr Matonga was made the head of television services at ZBC. He is currently the chief executive officer of the state-owned Zimbabwe United Passenger Company.
Sir Teddy, MP for Rochford and Southend East, was surprised to learn this weekend of the behaviour of the Matongas, who now have a four-year-old son.
Mr Matonga had appeared to be an intelligent, well-educated man, said Sir Teddy. "I am saddened and disappointed if he has turned out to be a rascal, a thug and a vagabond: one of Mugabe's henchman."
Jane Flanagan and Andrew Alderson
