Online Reporter
Sikhulekelani Moyo, Sunday News Reporter
THE Office of the President and Cabinet said it is aware of councillors who are illegally parcelling out State land for selfish gains warning that the net is soon closing in on those who have become land barons.
Speaking at the recently held Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Praz) public procurement and governance conference for local authorities in Bulawayo, the Permanent Secretary for Presidential Affairs and Devolution in the Office of the President, Engineer Tafadzwa Muguti, said some councillors were going to spend Christmas behind bars if they fail to answer questions on how they get the land that they purport to own.
He said councillors are meant to be the custodians of State resources not the undertakers of production as is the case
in many local authorities across the country.
Eng Muguti said there is a need to follow all due procedures when it comes to land allocations.
“We are aware that you have finished your master plans, but we are noticing a lot of councillors have become land barons, they are now leading land invasions in Chitungwiza, City of Harare, and some notable Rural District Councils (RDCs). Christmas might be very far for you,” said Eng Muguti.
“We are not going to regularise, just because as councillors, when you invade land, you then recommend where you invaded to be regularised, we are going to ask tough questions to your town clerks to justify regularisation.
“Every place where there is chaos, where you want to regularise, we want to hear a story behind a story, how did those people get there. I’m sorry, but most of the people will spend Christmas behind bars if this continues.”
Eng Muguti said councillors were elected to be responsible, not to come and loot the local authorities.
“If you thought being a councillor is your fastest way to stay in low densities and to drive nice cars and start donating cars, you are lying to yourself. We are going to continue capacitating you and teaching you governance because that’s what you need,” he warned.
“You need to be accountable to your people when you go back and explain to them why roads are not being fixed on time, or why is it taking so long to procure services at the local clinics.”
He said the Office of the President does not care where one reports or to which ministry, they have oversight and when it comes to the chase, they implement the judgment themselves.
“Let’s ensure that, as legislators, you safeguard your policies, you fully appreciate your by-laws and understand the role that has been given by the Constitution of Zimbabwe, which means you are the third tier of governance in the country,” said Eng Muguti.
Illegal parcelling and unauthorised occupation of land have become rampant countrywide, with some unscrupulous councillors leading.
This has seen communities losing grazing areas and in some instances, people building in protected areas like wetlands.
Land barons and institutions pursuing unclaimed and idle land across the nation since independence found themselves exposed following a landmark ruling from the High Court, making it mandatory for Government to provide maps for all land.
This pivotal decision empowers the State to take ownership of such land.
Recently, Justice Pisirai Kwenda, issued a ruling that seeks to reshape land ownership and distribution in the country.
The ruling obliges the Surveyor-General to provide maps and diagrams of land allocation upon State request facilitating title registration under the Deeds Registry Act.
Bongani Ndlovu