Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
Chief Rusike, real name Witness Mashawe, has cleared the air over allegations of illegal land allocation at Glen Avon Farm in Goromonzi and denied that he and Ward 22 Councillor Garikayi Mutongoreya were involved in allocating land or issuing forged offer letters.
The traditional leader, together with Cllr Mutongoreya, said they had no authority to issue or authenticate A1 and A2 offer letters, which fall under the responsible Government authorities.
The clarification follows allegations circulating online concerning Glen Avon A and Glen Avon B, including the subdivision of the farm, alleged illegal land allocations, developments on grazing land and an offer letter reportedly held by Mr Patrice Chikuyo.
Cllr Mutongoreya said the subdivision of Glen Avon Farm predated his election as Ward 22 councillor and Chief Rusike’s installation.
“I am not sure of the exact date when this division happened, but the division predates my election as Councillor for Ward 22 as well as before the current chief succeeded his father as Mambo Rusike,” he said.
“The two of us therefore did not initiate, authorise or participate in the partitioning of the farm into two farms.”
The leaders said similar subdivisions had taken place at Ardulsa, Brookmead, Xanadu and Dunstan farms, which they attributed to growing populations.
They said a meeting scheduled for September 15 was not convened to allocate or redistribute land, but to discuss governance and development issues, including a proposal by Glen Avon B residents to merge the two areas into one Village Development Committee (VIDCO).
“Ward Councillor and traditional leadership structures are not involved in the issuance of A1 or A2 offer letters and do not have authority to create, issue or authenticate Ministry of Lands offer letters,” said the duo.
On Mr Chikuyo’s disputed offer letter, the two said they could not independently authenticate a document purportedly issued by the Ministry of Lands.
They, however, said information gathered by them indicated that the offer letter and receipts had been confirmed with council and the Ministry of Lands.
Cllr Mutongoreya also explained why his cellphone number was on a Government receipt linked to Mr Chikuyo.
He said his responsibilities included supporting council revenue mobilisation and encouraging land beneficiaries to regularise their records and settle outstanding levies.
He said the appearance of his number on the receipt did not mean he had issued it, received money, allocated land or prepared or authenticated the offer letter.
The two also disputed claims that Mr Chikuyo’s absence from a local farmers’ database invalidated his offer letter.
“The absence of a person from a locally maintained database cannot, by itself, conclusively determine whether that person’s Government-issued offer letter is valid,” they said.
On alleged developments on grazing land, the duo said the disputed plots had been pegged for settlement around 2005.
Chief Rusike said he was unaware of any farmers’ committee authorised to verify other plot holders’ offer letters, adding that no farmer had the right to bar or confiscate another person’s plot or documents.
The duo also confirmed that Mr Mukwada had appeared before the Chief’s Court over a trespassing dispute, but Chief Rusike determined that the matter was civil and outside his jurisdiction.
They said the September 15, 2026 meeting failed to formally commence after a group of Glen Avon compound dwellers and farmers allegedly disrupted proceedings.
They said the meeting was intended to discuss implementation of the Model Settlement Development Strategy, Village Development Plans, governance arrangements, the compound dwellers’ database and revenue mobilisation.
“The meeting was not convened to allocate, sell or redistribute land,” the duo said.
The leaders called for land and governance issues to be addressed through properly constituted structures, while allegations of fraud and forgery should be referred to competent authorities.
