The government stopped the demolition of fancy houses at an alleged illegal settlement on the outskirts of Harare after it emerged that Zanu PF bigwigs owned some of the housing stands.
Several mansions were razed down in the Melfort area under
Goromonzi Rural District Council before the ruling party intervened and stopped
the exercise a week ago.
The demolitions, however, continue in poor neighbourhoods
of Harare and Chitingwiza where informal traders have seen their trading spaces
being destroyed in the past few days.
It has since emerged
that Zanu PF bigwigs moved in to rescue the mansions in the Diamond Park area after realising the
party’s supporters would lose properties.
The move irked top Zanu PF officials, who convened an urgent meeting and ordered
the demolitions to stop.
Zanu PF officials summoned all Goromonzi councillors,
Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs minister Aplonia Munzverengi and Goromonzi
Rural District Council chief executive officer Trust Madhovi to a crisis meeting a week ago to
discuss the demolitions.
It emerged at the meeting that the housing project was the
brainchild of Zanu PF youths through Eastwinds Trust and Vitadge Properties. The
two companies have since denied allegations that they acquired the land
illegally.
Roger Pote, Eastwinds director, told some of the victims
that Zanu PF as a party knew about the project and government officials were
aware of its existence. Pote claimed some “powerful” people were eyeing the
land for their own selfish interests.
“This project was initiated by Zanu PF youths with the help
of the late Provincial Affairs minister Joel Biggie Matiza,” he said.
“This land doesn’t belong to the council, it is state land.
We even got the go-ahead from the ministry of Local Government to develop it. The
papers are there.”
Some government officials had pledged to persuade investors
such as the National Social Security Authority and the National Building
Society to build infrastructure in the area.
According to a letter from the developer’s lawyers — Takaindisa
Law Chambers — dated August 13, 2020 and addressed to National Housing and
Social Amenities ministry on the regularisation of the housing project gleaned
by this paper, Zanu PF top officials were involved in the project as far back
as last year.
“On the 25th of June 2020, our client had a meeting in your
offices, in the presence of (acting) secretary for youth league (Zanu PF)
Tendai Chirau, political commissar Zanu PF province Kudakwashe Damson,
secretary for indigenisation and economic empowerment Tonderai Bosha, youth
chairperson Mashonaland East Calvin Mutsvairo, Mashonaland East political
commissar Lincoln Matare and permanent secretary in the National Housing
ministry Mr Chinyanga in which our client agreed to be under the ministry,”
reads part of the letter.
“On July 27, 2020, our clients had another meeting with
Honourable JB Matiza, who is the provincial chairperson of Zanu PF Mashonaland
East [late], a cabinet minister Daniel Garwe, Mashonaland East province
secretary for security T Mangwiro, chairman for planning Goromonzi council P
Chikandamina, and other leadership where it was agreed that the project at
Melfort should proceed under the supervision of the National Housing ministry
and it was ensured that the same is regularised so that everything is above
board.”
The Melfort settlement has 1 300 housing stands which were
allocated to civil servants, including members of the uniformed forces, Zanu PF
youths, women’s league members, war veterans and people living with
disabilities.
On September 18 last year, President Emmerson Mnangagwa was
expected to commission the Diamond Park project before the event was postponed
to a later date at the last minute.
Prior to Mnangagwa’s visit, the Joint Operations Command,
the supreme organ for the coordination of state security had already camped in
the area while tents were pitched ahead of the grand ground-breaking ceremony.
According to a letter dated September 4, 2020, signed by
Mnangagwa’s principal private secretary, one W Gwatiringa, the Zanu PF leader
confirmed the invitation by Garwe.
MDC Alliance ward 15 councillor Muziwakhe Banda said
Goromonzi Rural District Council resolved to demolish all illegal structures.
Banda said the Melfort demolitions were not the first as houses had been
demolished at Kwabhora.
“However, as MDC, we were against the demolition of
houses,” he said. “(The Melfort) demolitions were purely political.
“Zanu PF councillors were summoned to the party
headquarters where a decision was made.
“We were also summoned by our party where a position was
taken that we don’t want houses to be demolished, but we could not be involved
because the demolitions was purely a Zanu PF fight.
“It is like babamukuru and babamunini (brothers) fighting,
we could not intervene. “We can’t wade into a Zanu PF fight.” Banda is the only
opposition councillor in Goromonzi.
Human rights groups have condemned the demolitions in
Harare, saying they were in violation of the law.
The government insists it wants to restore sanity in urban
areas where illegal settlements continue to mushroom. Standard
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