Chiredzi RDC raises flag over stands

Tawanda Mangoma in Chiredzi
Chiredzi Rural District Council (CRDC) has challenged the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to block the proposed allocation of 87 hectares of land to members of the Commercial Sugarcane Farmers Association of Zimbabwe.

Addressing a full council meeting recently, CRDC chairperson Alderman Edward Matsilele said council has vast residential stands at its Buffalo Range Housing Project, which have no takers, but “surprisingly” farmers are saying they have no access to stands.

“We are being informed that the Ministry of Lands (Agriculture and Rural Resettlement) intends to handover land for housing to private individuals under the guise of farmer representatives.

“Our ministry has promised to do away with land barons, so we wait to be guided accordingly. One thing for certain is that we will resist unprocedural usurpation of local authority functions by individuals.”

The remarks came after Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Davis Marapira visited Chiredzi a fortnight ago at the invitation of Commercial Sugarcane Farmers Association chairperson Captain Admore Hwarare (Retired) and stressed the need for farmers’ houses.

“Our members have no houses, some come to their farms and stay in hotels and lodges, which is unsustainable and that is the main reason we visited your honourable office to request for land to construct houses for our members,” said Capt Hwarare (Rtd).

Deputy Minister Marapira, however, said his ministry will work in conjunction with the Local Government ministry in trying to address the issue.

“When Government offers you land for housing development, it will not be for members from association A while leaving those from association B and C. My visit here was primarily to see the land which you had identified. I will go back and give feedback to the minister who is the land allocating authority in the country,” said Minister Marapira.

Councillor Matsilele said his organisation was prepared to contribute meaningfully towards the Command Housing Project, which targets 470 000 housing units.

“Under housing development, Government is rolling out the Command Housing Programme, which will see about 470 000 housing units being constructed in the next three years, with the RBZ playing the central financing coordination.

“Your council is yet to get modalities of accessing this facility for our people.”