HARARE – Norton MP Temba Mliswa has been kicked out of the Karoi Country Club in Mashonaland West which he has been running since 2013.

Mliswa is now suing members of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association whom he alleges stormed the property and dismissed his employees.

In an urgent chamber application filed at the High Court on Tuesday, Mliswa wants the war veterans to vacate the recreational area, arguing that their acts jeopardised the livelihoods of his employees.

The independent legislator also said the war veterans had no powers to force him out without a court order.

Cited as respondents are Joseph Serima Manjengwe, Alick Chingodza, Life Magedi and Bridget Chingodza.

“This is an urgent chamber application for an order against the respondents who without the consent of the applicant forcibly took over the premises of Karoi Country Club on November 29, 2019,” Mliswa’s lawyers said in the summons.

Mliswa said he was elected chairperson of the country club in 2013.

In an affidavit placed before the court, Mliswa said he was informed by the country club’s caretaker, Munyaradzi Oshipeya, on November 29 that the war veterams had forced all employees out and threatened them with violence if they ever returned.

“They indicated that the war veterans’ association had been given a permit by Karoi Town Council to use the country club for youth projects but no proof of such authority was exhibited to any of the country club’s employees who were present,” Mliswa said.

“They proceeded to violently destroy locks to forcibly gain entry into offices and ordered Oshipeya and all other employees off the property with the threat that they should never return to the property unless they wanted to risk life. They also proceeded to change the locks.”

Mliswa asked the court to hear the case urgently.

“If the matter were to await the normal court roll, applicant stands to suffer irreparable harm as he has been forcefully ejected out of the premises where he operated from as Karoi Country Club and their property thereat stands at risk of being damaged or destroyed since all the applicant’s property was locked in the premises by the respondents who have threatened to destroy the property,” Mliswa’s lawyers said.

The case is yet to be heard.