The department’s officers have introduced a “something for
something and nothing for nothing” concept, targeting especially Zimbabweans in
the diaspora that want to invest in land.
Government has reviewed the policy on allocation of vacant
land and restructured the Provincial and District Lands Committees to curb the
rampant corruption.
This was said by Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and
Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Anxious Masuka, addressing senior officers in
the Lands Department attending a land management and distribution meeting in
Gweru yesterday.
“The Lands Department now has a bad reputation. The
department has degenerated into a haven of corruption activities as officers
demand kickbacks in land allocations and that is very bad. We need to clean
that image now by doing the right things in a professional manner,” he said.
Dr Masuka said there are land officers, whose offices are
only accessible to people that can afford to pay kickbacks.
“There are land officers whose offices are entered only by
those with something in their pockets. Something for something and nothing for
nothing, and that is corruption in land allocation. Corruption, corrupt
activities must stop henceforth,” he said.
To show how corrupt some land officers have become, Dr
Masuka said he has been receiving phone calls from land seekers, who reveal to
him their schedule number, which should be a confidential matter.
“The land officers who would have received kickbacks go to
the extent of giving confidential information about the process of land
allocation. Planning, preparation of schedules and numbers are done by the
ministry officials, but I get phone calls from people giving me their schedule
number. That shows that the officer will be trying to please his/her benefactor
because such information as schedule numbers are private and confidential,” he
said.
Dr Masuka said land was an economic enabler which must be
allocated to deserving people so that agriculture contributes to the growth of
the economy in line with Vision 2030.
“Land is an economic enabler; the land must be used to
unlock value and must be allocated in a transparent manner. Land can be used to
maximise the productivity of the agricultural sector so that the country earns
foreign currency,” he said.
Dr Masuka reiterated the need for lands officers to be fair
and transparent.
“There is a backlog of about 250 000 people who applied for
land and these applications should be dealt with in fairness and transparency.
We must do away with corruption,” he said.
He said the revised guidelines on allocation of land will
target multiple farm owners, abandoned farms, derelict land and underutilised
farms.
“Government has also now issued revised guidelines to
provincial and district land committees to ensure that the first four
categories are the priority categories for identification of vacant land and
for the allocation of land.
“As a civil servant, I think you should strive to leave a
lasting legacy in the area of operation. Now we have land officers who set
targets, for example, to have two Mercedes Benz vehicles in two years from
corruption, which is wrong.”
Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement
chief director human resources, Mr George Chijarira said the unscrupulous lands
officers were targeting Zimbabweans in the diaspora, who have become their cash
cows.
He said reports of lands officers demanding cattle from
potential land beneficiaries have also reached the ministry.
“There are a lot of people in the diaspora who want land
and the land officers have found their cash cow from that constituency.
“There are reports where land officers are demanding bribes
from those in the United Kingdom and other countries. That constituency is now
their cash cow. Some people have paid officers livestock before their names are
put on the land waiting list. We hear these stories and you must know that it
is an act of misconduct and is also criminal. Anyone found on the wrong side
will face the full wrath of the law,” said Mr Chijarira.
Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Larry
Mavima said Zimbabwe will reemerge as the bread basket of Africa through
President Mnangagwa’s efforts to revive the agricultural sector.
He said Government has been providing farming inputs on
time as a way of supporting farmers for the growth of the agriculture sector.
“With the leadership of President Mnangagwa, agriculture is
being revived and Zimbabwe will re-emerge as the bread basket of Africa. The
meeting is coming at the right time to address issues to do with land
applications, the redistribution of underutilised land as well as other land
related issues,” said Minister Mavima. Chronicle
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