Zanu PF Harare province has demanded that Harare City
Council rescind the sale of land to some party officials, which the party was
occupying on lease from the city, saying the transaction was fraudulently done.
The ruling party’s provincial executive led by acting
chairperson, Cde Oliver Chidawu, has since appointed the party’s District
Coordinating Committee chairperson, Cde Godwils Masimirembwa, to represent it
in criminal investigations to establish the circumstances of the sale.
The Cde Chidawu-led executive said only the party’s
national leadership had the authority to handle the matter and not provincial
executive members as what happened in the present case.
However, the party officials accused of buying Stand Number
55 Pomona Estate, Number 8 Campel Road measuring 8 000 square metres in
Borrowdale, insisted the purchase was above board.
It is alleged that the party officials, using their private
company, purchased the property through misrepresentation to council.
The stand has been used as district party offices by Zanu
PF Borrowdale District since 1990.
One of the officials, Cde Lameck Tarupuwa, said they bought
the property after Zanu PF Harare province, through a letter by provincial
secretary for administration, Cde George Mashavave, notified council that it
had no objection to the sale.
A paper trail in possession of The Herald show that normal
procedures were followed in the acquisition of the land by Cde Tarupuwa’s
company, with letters from the city council and the party authorising the sale.
According to the papers, the stand was eventually bought by
Pebney (Pvt) Ltd from the City of Harare on the strength of the letter from Cde
Mashavave.
The matter was eventually brought to the city’s Education,
Health, Housing and Community Services and Licensing Committee, which approved
the sale after the company offered to pay US$650 000 against a valuation of
US$130 000.
In an interview yesterday, Cde Mashavave said he wrote the
letter after the then Zanu PF provincial management committee directed him to
do so on the understanding that the party would be given alternative land.
Harare city council director for housing and community
services, Mr Addmore Nhekairo, said they allowed Pebney to buy the stand after
its application was accompanied by a cover letter from Zanu PF Harare province,
indicating the party had no objection to the sale.
“We had no reason to doubt that party officials whom we
were dealing with had no legitimate authority from the party,” he said. “It was
only brought to our attention when we attended meetings with Cde Chidau where
we were told that we had to set aside the sale. Our hope is that they will find
each other among themselves.”
In a new twist of events, Cde Chidau’s executive has since
reported the matter to police and appointed Cde Masimirembwa as the party’s contact
person.
“This letter serves to authorise Godwills Masimirembwa in
his capacity as Chairman Zanu PF DCC4 to represent Zanu PF in criminal
investigations under CCD DR 55/7 and CCD CR 503/7/2020 pertaining to fraudulent
purchase of stand number Lot 55 Pomona Estate (No 8 Campbel) by Pebney (Pvt)
Ltd represented by Lameck Tarupuwa and the fraudulent transaction involving
US$26 000 rentals due to Zanu PF rentals which was deposited into the account
of one Fungai Chiboora,” read a letter from Cde Chidau dated July 17, 2020.
In another letter to Mr Nhekairo, Zanu PF DCC4 secretary
for administration Cde Blessing Chimangah said Harare provincial members had no
authority to consent to the sale of the land to a third party.
Cde Chimangah said Harare City Council should have first
offered to Zanu PF the right of first refusal before selling the land to a
third party as per their agreement.
He said the purported consent to the disposal of land by
Zanu PF was fraudulently given.
“Issues of land acquisition and disposal are decided upon
by national leadership of the party, not by provincial leadership,” said Cde
Chimangah.
“Thus the letter written by Cde Mashavave or any provincial
leader consenting to the disposal should be disregarded,” read the letter.
Further, it is argued that Cde Tarupuwa was a member of
Zanu PF Harare Province when his company, Pebney (Pvt) Ltd, purchased the
property from the City of Harare. Herald
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