‘Investigate Harare councillors’

Tanaka Mahanya

Zimbabwe National Organisation of Asscociations and Residents Trust (ZNOART) has written to the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, July Moyo, requesting investigations on land looting by the Harare City Council.

ZNOART national chairperson, Shepard Chikomba, said looting at Harare City Council is now out of hand.

“We request for a commission of inquiry to investigate land looting by the City of Harare councillors and top council officials.

“On December 24, 2022, The Herald published an article titled ‘Massive Harare land looting exposed’.

“Contained in the article is that councillors in Harare are working in cahoots with top council officials in a putrid land devaluation scam through which they purchase commercial and industrial stands for as little as US $60 and resell the same stands at US$120 000. This is tantamount to criminal abuse of office by the councillors and top council management,” he said.

He said the mayor Jacob Mafume, and councillors Denford Ngadziore, Stanley Manyenga and Jason Kautsa received land in parts of Harare through this foul land devaluation scam.

“Honourable Minister, it is also stated in the article that councillors and top council officials suspended the proper procedure that should be adhered to when allocating land to councillors and council officials and allocated themselves land unprocedurally.

“This is just a tip of the iceberg in a humongous, well-choreographed and corrupt plan to loot land by Harare councillors and top officials thus we pray that you set up a commission of inquiry for onward submission to ZACC. Investigate all the councillors and council officials involved in corrupt and criminal abuse of duty activities at Town House.

“We demand that you suspend with immediate effect all councillors and council officials fingered so that they do no tamper with evidence and witnesses and rescind all land allocations awarded unprocedurally to all the above-mentioned,” he said.