ZACC urged to investigate Chiweshe land allocations

Source: ZACC urged to investigate Chiweshe land allocations | The Herald

Herald Reporter

Some businessmen in Mazowe District have called on the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) to investigate illegal land allocations and corruption in business centres in Chiweshe.

The businessmen are also up in arms with ward councillor Chabvepi Chinhema whom they accuse of using her muscle to manipulate land allocations, at times reversing properly paid for land deals.

The tiff between Clr Chinhema and the businessmen has resulted in accusations and counter accusation and has at time spilled into the civil courts.

Some court orders have also allegedly been violated as tempers flared.

Most of the stands in dispute are at Kakora business centre, where businessmen who bought land from council and have shown their documents to The Herald, accuse her of grabbing land and reallocating to her son and relatives.

Clr Chinhema however denies the charges.

“While Government is fighting corruption inn urban councils, there is serious rampant selling of State land in rural areas. 

|”One of them is Clr Chabvepi Chinhema who has parceled out land at Kakora business centre to her advantage.  ZACC must just come and see the mess here. Since Clr Chinhema took over here, she has become corrupt. 

“She has been corruptly, awarding stands to undeserving people, selling and pocketing the money, without the knowledge of the council.

“I have made several police reports, about the councillor’s son who is blocking my construction work, despite my having secured a prohibition order,” said Mr Solomon Nyamupfuka, the leader of the aggrieved businesspeople.

Asked for comment, Clr Chinhema, said accused the businesspeople of trying to tarnish their image.

“That is a smear campaign. I don’t allocate land. 

“It’s the council. I know Nyamupfukadza is after tarnishing my name.

“He was allocated land by council and I have nothing to do with it. My son is an adult. I have nothing to do with all this,’’ she said.

 But the businessmen insist that ZACC, should come and get the evidence.

“We cannot make noise for nothing. ZACC should come and see.  There is too much corruption, even at Rosa business. This is serious corruption,’’ said Mr Nyamupfukudza. 

There has been a surge in land developments in Mazowe district and most of them are now mired in controversy, as many councillors are being accused of corruption.