Former Women Affairs minister Nyasha Chikwinya has been taken to
court by Mama Mafuyana Housing Co-operative, seeking her eviction from a
piece of landin Glen Forest, which she allegedly seized using her
political influence.
Chikwinya and her co-respondents have since entered their appearance to defend notices. In its declaration through its lawyers, the co-operative said sometime in 2003, it was offered the remainder of Glen Forest of Borrowdale Estate in Goromonzi District measuring 150,27 hectares by the Local Government ministry for urban development purposes after the land was gazetted.
The co-operative said the land was then surveyed and the department of physical planning approved the layout plans for 120 stands, but in June 2003, the Local Government minister purportedly offered Chikwinya 26 Pilgrims Rest PTN of Glen Forest measuring 149,04 hectares for agricultural purposes.
“Although the description of the land offered to the plaintiff (Mama Mafuyana Housing Co-operative) differs with the one which was offered to the first defendant (Chikwinya), she has argued that this is the same piece of land. Pilgrims Rest was a trading name of the previous owner, so it is not in dispute that the parties are referring to the same piece of land,” the co-operative said.
“The first defendant used her political muscle, which she wielded at the time, to influence ministry officials to act in her favour. Her offer letter does not correctly describe the piece of land, as it is captured as the trading name of the previous owner, which does not exist in the official records.”
The co-operative further said after a protracted battle with officials from both Lands ministry and Local Government, it was later agreed that Chikwinya was to be allocated 84,027 hectares adjacent to the co-operative as compensation, land which she has already occupied and utilised.
However, despite Chikwinya being compensated, the co-operative said the former minister had refused to vacate its land until now and was continuing with her activities, which action had prompted the co-operative to approach the court for recourse.
The co-operative said on December 10, 2015 it was ordered to vacate the same piece of land by the Local Government minister without being given any reasons for doing so and it complied since Chikwinya had “political influence over the ministries, but under protest because whatever was done was fraudulent and no due process of law was followed”. Newsday
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