National Housing and Social Amenities Minister Daniel Garwe
told The Herald yesterday that as far as the central Government was concerned,
there would not be any demolitions as President Mnangagwa last year gifted
Zimbabweans, specifically urbanites, with title deeds.
“As far as we are concerned, no house will be demolished
and any communication to the contrary is misleading. Indeed, anything contrary
to that is fake news. That houses in Arlington Estate will be demolished was
not the correct position,” said Minister Garwe.
This comes after Harare Metropolitan Province Secretary for
Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mr Tafadzwa Muguti, had earlier said
developments in the Arlington Estate Phase 2 and Retreat areas fell in the
airport red-zone and could be demolished.
Last night, Mr Muguti further clarified that the Arlington
development should never have been allowed, but corners were cut in the old
dispensation, resulting in houses being constructed in the red zone.
He said in its current state, Arlington Estate would not be
demolished, but the proposed second phase, would not be accepted.
“I would like to set the record straight that we will not
be demolishing existing structures that you see in Arlington Estate,” said Mr
Muguti.
“However, should Arlington Estate continue to be hard-headed
and not cooperate with authorities, the provincial Government structures,
cooperating with the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe and cooperating with
the Airports Company of Zimbabwe, then it still remains the point that should
they proceed with the development of Phase 2, which they have already been
notified of, then those houses would likely be demolished.
“On the Retreat side, there are people who had been wearing
party regalia, some of them forming fake cooperatives, running around pegging
stands with their feet literally, and selling those stands. We have since
dispatched people there and those residents of Retreat chased away Government
officials with stones, so we have taken a bold stance and a position that all
illegal housing developments within the red zone of the airport should be
removed.
“This is a no-go area and we will not accept anyone who
makes themselves a local authority and parcel out land.
To those people who are so desperate that you are now going
to build your house within the fence of an airport, you should go and get your
money back because we are not going to compromise the Civil Aviation Act, we
are not going to compromise national security, we are not going to compromise
the safety of the aviation industry, because you have decided to break the
law,” said Mr Muguti.
He added that some private players own land within the red
zone, but they stand to be guided by the CAAZ and are supposed to build
temporary structures, if it is industrial structures, so that they don’t
interfere with the aviation industry.
In a statement yesterday, one of the property developers in
Arlington Estate, Mr Eddie Charangwa, who is also the business development and
marketing manager of Leengate, said the company developed properties in strict
compliance with the law.
“The development by Leengate at the Corner of Harare Drive
and Twentydales Road is being implemented in accordance with laws and by-laws
of the country and is in full compliance with all regulatory bodies and has
never been a contested issue.
“As Leengate, we bought the land directly from Ministry of
Local Government and was issued with title deeds. We subsequently applied for
and were issued with a development subdivision permit by the City of Harare. In
addition, we were issued a consent letter by the Civil Aviation Authority of
Zimbabwe. The development also has an Environmental Impact Assessment
certificate from the Environment Management Authority (EMA). Roads, water, and sewer approvals were done
by the City of Harare,” read the statement in part.
“Leengate followed all the laid down procedures and
protocols which are in line with land acquisition and development and is in
possession of all necessary documents mentioned above,” said Mr Charangwa.
Herald
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