The company said the Carrick Creagh stands listed by
Chikore in his response to Ms Mugabe’s divorce petition had belonged to three
companies, with Ms Mugabe listed as a director in two, but these title deeds
were cancelled at the beginning of February and the land reverted to State
ownership and were not available for distribution to either party in any
divorce settlement.
In a statement yesterday, Arosume Property Development said
it was a private land development company in a public-private-partnership with
the Government, through the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works. They
now also had a separate, but now complete agreement with the Ministry of
National Housing, and the Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe. Both
agreements are for the development of ultra-low-density housing in Carrick
Creagh Estate of Borrowdale, which was compulsorily acquired under General
Notice 161/2006 and is therefore State land until properly transferred.
Said Arosume Property Development: “It has come to our
attention through the media and confirmed in the divorce papers in the matter
between Bona Nyepudzai Ouma Mugabe and Simbarashe Chikore in HC1521/23 that
between the two of them, they claim to own 213 794 square metres of Carrick
Creagh Estate, land listed under various stand numbers in their divorce papers.
“We confirm that we have no business interests in the vast
extents (of) Helensvale land listed in Mr Chikore’s papers. The extent of land
grabbing is indicative of serious unmitigated greed.
“We advise the public that the two are not owners of the
said stands. On 28th October 2022, the Hon Minister of Local Government and
Public Works gazetted his intention to cancel title issued in favour of two
companies in which Mrs Chikore is a director, Navline Investments (Private)
Limited and Montshow Investments (Private) Limited.”
Other land listed in their divorce pleadings was held under
a company called Penking Investments (Private) Limited.
Arosume Property says after the Ministry of Local
Government and Public Works completed its internal investigations, Minister
July Moyo cancelled the title deeds in terms of the law on February 1 this
year.
“Upon cancellation, the land reverted to being State land
and may not be distributed to either of them in divorce proceedings. Our
lawyers have advised the couple’s lawyers of these facts and demanded that the
properties be removed from the distribution list.
“We also advise the public that the transfer of land into
the names of persons and companies connected to the former First Family was
reported to Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission as far back as 2017, (and) no
credible progress has been made to date.
“Our suggestions to ZACC that it records statements from
Rhory Shawatu, who signed almost all the power of attorney documents used in
these transfers or the former directors of the companies (Kumbulani Murenga and
Miriam Gwekwerere) that received title, have fallen on deaf ears,” said Arosume
Property.
The land development company claimed that it appears as if
ZACC “has no interest in the matter at all”.
Arosume Property said in addition to the pieces of land
claimed by Ms Mugabe and Chikore, other individuals linked to the former First
Family “also took another 178 500sqm of Carrick Creagh land”.
“We, however, commend the leadership and the majority of
officials in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works who, despite the
intimidation and harassment, have continued to enforce the PPP agreement.
“We advise that we shall be pursuing the recovery of the
rest of the Carrick Creagh stands listed in the papers, which were not properly
acquired,” said Arosume Property. Herald
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