via Land barons still active | The Herald January 22, 2015
Land barons continue to subdivide and parcel out land to unsuspecting home-seekers in Chitungwiza despite Government’s efforts to bring sanity in the satellite town.The Urban Development Corporation, which was tasked by the Government to draw a layout plan for the town, recently submitted the new design for Chitungwiza outlining structures which can be regularised and those which should be demolished.
However, UDICORP’s work could go to waste as land barons continue to sell land in Chitungwiza, especially in Nyatsime where they purport to represent beneficiaries of Nyatsime Housing Scheme. They are allegedly collecting thousands of dollars from prospective homeowners.
Chitungwiza Municipality has since distanced itself from the illegal land sales, advising members of the public to desist from buying land from individuals.
“It has come to the attention of Chitungwiza Municipality that certain individuals have taken it upon themselves to arbitrarily subdivide and allocate stands to unsuspecting people in Nyatsime Housing Scheme area.
“The public is hereby informed and advised that the said land allocations have not been sanctioned by Chitungwiza Municipality, which makes the whole move illegal in terms of the laws of Zimbabwe. All those who take part in the illegal land allocations do so at their own risk,” said town clerk Mr George Makunde.
An Government audit last year revealed that over 14 000 residential stands allocated to home-seekers in Chitungwiza and Manyame Rural District Council were illegal and the structures built on them should be demolished.
Of these 8 260 stands were in Chitungwiza, while 6 200 were in Seke communal lands under Manyame Rural District Council.
Some of the stands were created on spaces reserved for clinics, churches, schools, cemeteries, recreational activities and roads, while others were created under high voltage electricity pylons.
In Seke rural, people were allocated stands on grazing lands, wetlands, and other lands not suitable for housing.
The audit team recommended the arrest and prosecution of land barons who are mainly housing co-operatives, councillors and village heads after it emerged that they looted and illegally sold 23 074 stands that did not belong to them, pocketing more than $20 million.
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