adminTichavona Makonese
A MEMBER of the Yamurai St Mary’s Disabled Group, a cooperative for people living with disability, has lost a residential stand to a stranger.
Catherine Maraini, 72, was surprised to see her residential stand being developed by another resident from Chaminuka District, which is for the able-bodied.
She says her house was at the window level when the incident occurred.
“I was developing my residential stand since 2014 when I joined the cooperative.
“I was contributing to that stand up to date and I am surprised that someone just came and started developing it.
“I left my house at window level and someone is now completing it.
“I was informed by my chairman, and other residents, of the sad development.
“I approached my chairman over the issue before he reported the matter to Beatrice District offices and, through a member of the joint committee, which regularise the stands between Manyame and Beatrice.
“I am disturbed, my blood pressure has gone up, I am just a vendor and I sacrificed for this stand.
“I have also engaged my chairman, Joseph January to assist me,” she said.
Joseph confirmed the incident.
“We are greatly affected as the disabled because there are people who are grabbing our stands.
“There is Abinar Takure of Chaminuka District, who recently grabbed a stand which belongs to a disabled person Catherine Maraini, Stand number 10210 Nyatsime Phase 4.
“I confronted him over the issue before informing the rural town clerk Mr Gutsa.
“As the disabled, we need to be protected in whatever manner,” he said.
“It pains me to see an intruder building a house, which was at window level, without the consent of the owner.
“I am the custodian of these stands as the Chairman and it’s inhuman, it’s unacceptable, we have reported this matter to Beatrice offices.
“Land barons should respect us and respect our jurisdiction.
“As the Chairman, it’s my duty to safeguard our stands and we are waiting for the established joint committee to sanitise the Chitungwiza Nyatsime Area.
“As people living with disabilities we feel that if we don’t act, we might lose more stands to land barons.”
Contacted for comment, Takure said: “I don’t know the matter and the affected person should come to my office so that we map a way forward rather than to go to the press.
“I have not received a formal report over that matter and I have a huge area which I take care of.”
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter