Chitown residents lambast Matiza over demolitions

via Chitown residents lambast Matiza over demolitions – NewsDay Zimbabwe. 23 June 2014 by Phillip Chidavaenzi June 23, 2014

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CHITUNGWIZA residents have described threats by Local Government deputy minister Biggie Joel Matiza to continue with the planned demolition of illegal structures in the dormitory town as “immature, reckless and misguided”, considering that they had obtained a court order to block the demolitions.

PHILLIP CHIDAVAENZI

The Chitungwiza Residents’ Trust (Chitrest) in a statement last week said Matiza’s pronouncements were unconstitutional and inconsistent with a court order made on April 24 this year by Chitungwiza magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa. “Chitrest demands the minister to publicly clarify the policy position rather than keep the residents and other stakeholders guessing on the government position on the proposed house demolitions in Seke and Chitungwiza,” the Trust said.

“All properties in Chitungwiza and Seke Rural are covered by the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

The government should be promoting public awareness of the new Constitution in terms of Section 7 and not wait to be continuously dragged to the courts for constitutional interpretations.” Early this month, Chitrest reportedly wrote to Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo seeking policy clarity on the issue of proposed demolitions, but got no response.

In the letter dated June 10 2014, the residents gave Chombo seven days to respond, failure of which they would take him to court again.