KWEKWE — Business came to a standstill on Monday after the Messenger of Court descended on Shamwari Hotel, one of the city’s oldest hotels, shutting it down over an $18 000 rental debt.
The attachment follows a writ of execution granted to Kwekwe Properties owned by Kenias Sibanda. The latest move is part of a long-running battle between Sibanda and TMR (Pvt) Ltd owned by Emmanuel Dizha over the control of the hotel.
Property from all the bars, kitchen and offices, that included old beds from the hotel suites, was removed and dumped onto the streets awaiting removal, forcing the hotel to close shop. Sibanda, who literally owns most of the buildings in Kwekwe central business district, obtained a warrant of ejectment against Dizha.The eviction order was granted last week under case number K415/2011.
“This, therefore, authorises the said plaintiff to repossess the said premises and evict from the property the defendant and recover the money owed,” read part of the warrant of ejectment. The closure of the hotel has left over 10 employees jobless, while a group of suspected commercial sex workers who had taken residence at the hotel were left homeless.
Dizha, however, described the move to evict him as politically-motivated saying he was being targeted for hosting delegates to the Zanu PF conference which ended in Gweru at the weekend.
“They are making me pay for having played host to Zanu PF delegates that is what I have been told, but I am proud to have played my part and I will not be moved,” Dizha said.
Meanwhile, Dizha has filed an urgent High Court chamber application to stop his eviction.
Property from all the bars, kitchen and offices, that included old beds from the hotel suites, was removed and dumped onto the streets awaiting removal, forcing the hotel to close shop. Sibanda, who literally owns most of the buildings in Kwekwe central business district, obtained a warrant of ejectment against Dizha.The eviction order was granted last week under case number K415/2011.
“This, therefore, authorises the said plaintiff to repossess the said premises and evict from the property the defendant and recover the money owed,” read part of the warrant of ejectment. The closure of the hotel has left over 10 employees jobless, while a group of suspected commercial sex workers who had taken residence at the hotel were left homeless.
Dizha, however, described the move to evict him as politically-motivated saying he was being targeted for hosting delegates to the Zanu PF conference which ended in Gweru at the weekend.
“They are making me pay for having played host to Zanu PF delegates that is what I have been told, but I am proud to have played my part and I will not be moved,” Dizha said.
Meanwhile, Dizha has filed an urgent High Court chamber application to stop his eviction.
Source: Newsday
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