Source: Govt orders Bikita RDC to stop parcelling out PSC land – NewsDay Zimbabwe
BY GARIKAI MAFIRAKUREVA
Local Government ministry secretary Zvinechimwe Churu has written to Bikita Rural District Council (RDC) ordering the local authority to immediately stop the allocation of land belonging to the Public Service Commission (PSC).
This was after PSC secretary Jonathan Wutawunashe wrote to the Local Government ministry objecting to council’s move to parcel out land belonging to the civil servants’ body.
According to the letter by the PSC dated April 14, 2021, the land was earmarked for the establishment of a Public Service Commission Academy.
PSC accused Bikita RDC of encroaching into its land and turning it to commercial stands.
The commission argued that its land was reserved for transforming the Training and Development Architecture into a full-fledged Public Service Commission Academy.
This, according to PSC, was part of government’s initiative to transform all public service training institutions through construction of state-of-the-art infrastructure, installation of e-learning facilities and giving them a general facelift.
The land was reportedly doled out to Zanu PF youths to pacify them after they recently stormed council offices in protest over illegal sale of land to local businesspeople.
Part of Churu’s letter read: “Re: Objection of proposed allocation/subdivision of Bikita institute stand. Reference is made to your minute dated April 14, 2021 on the above subject. May you be kindly advised that Bikita Rural District Council has been directed to stop allocating and subdividing land put aside for government institutions and residential buildings. They have since been stopped from parcelling out of the training centre land.”
Another letter to Bikita RDC dated June 8, 2021 read: “Re: Objection of allocation and subdivision of government land. Reference is made to the above letter. You are advised to stop allocating and subdividing land set aside for government institutions and residential buildings with immediate effect. Be guided accordingly.”
Bikita RDC chief executive officer Peter Chibi confirmed receiving the letter instructing them to stop allocating land belonging to PSC.
“I can confirm that I received that letter, but I can only say politics is at play. All this is not true. PSC area is fenced and we have three areas adjacent to the training centre and Garikai market, land which is next to the shops, land next to the rank with commercial stands next to it, and other land next to the grinding mill (ZIMLUX) and service station,” he said.
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