Land dispute erupts in Gokwe

The villagers who claim that the local authority never engaged them over the development, are reportedly vandalising pegs that were put up by the council.

 

“We do not have anywhere to go. The council never engaged us over the development. We were surprised when council officials came and started pegging the area while allocating residential stands to other people,” said one of the villagers, Mr Rodgers Musenza.

He said they had since approached the local traditional leader, Chief Njelele, to assist them map the way forward.

He said villagers were now living in fear that they could soon be driven out of the area with no alternative land allocated to them.

“What we know is that when the council wants to expand like what is happening here, the affected villagers are given alternative land but this is not the case with Gokwe Town Council. Why? They are only concerned with their expansion without caring for our welfare,” he said.

Another villager, Mrs Emily Kando, said they wanted compensation from the local authority if they were to relocate.

“This land belongs to our ancestors and if we are to relocate, we will have to be compensated because we have our forefathers who are buried in the area which the local authority wants to take away from us,” said Mrs Kando.

She said the most affected villagers were those from Magodi village.

Gokwe Town Council chairman Councillor Vengesai Chipfuko said they were in the process of suing Magodi villagers for allegedly destroying pegs in the area while conducting their farming activities.

He said the pegs that were destroyed by the “defiant” villagers were worth $10 000.

“The area in question was approved for urban expansion by the Ministry of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development way back in 1992 and the villagers can therefore not claim that they are not aware that the area is earmarked for urban expansion. Those who have destroyed the council’s pegs in the area will have to pay for destroying council property. We are in the process of suing the villagers for tampering with the council pegs in the area and the amount involved is $10 000,” he said.

Clr Chipfuko said it was not the council’s mandate to compensate or allocate the affected villagers alternative land.