In an act that is being repeated across Zimbabwe, government authorities have declared new ownership of the Maleme farm in Bulawayo, Matabeleland, threatening its Christian owners with arrest for refusing to leave the land that houses the Shalom and Ebenezer Christian ministries. Having made an official appeal for the reversal of this land acquisition, the leadership team is currently involved in difficult negotiations with district officials. Zimbabwe’s Ebenezer ministry trains apprentices in agri-business skills. Mr Cunningham, owner of the Maleme farm, was told on 18 December that the land had been allocated to a new owner, Mr Mashingaidze and that this decision had been finalised. Later the same day, the lands officer accompanied the new owner to Maleme farm so that he could take inventory of all his assets, warning the Christian owners that if anything was taken from the site, this would be considered theft.