Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
RESIDENTS have called for the arrest and prosecution of land barons and illegal land dealers accused of defrauding home seekers through fraudulent land sales.
This comes as pressure mounts for authorities to protect public land reserved for essential community amenities.
The call was made by Zimbabwe National Organisation of Associations and Residents Trust (ZNOART) national chairman, Mr Shepherd Shalvar Chikomba in a statement on Tuesday, following the City of Harare’s notice on the regularisation of dysfunctional settlements and enforcement of compliance requirements for illegally occupied land and structures.
The organisation welcomed the notice, saying it followed sustained calls for intervention to address illegal land sales, unplanned settlements and the occupation of land designated for public amenities.
“ZNOART calls upon law enforcement agencies and relevant Government authorities to investigate, arrest and prosecute land barons, illegal land dealers and all individuals implicated in fraudulent land transactions, including those who abuse traditional leadership positions to unlawfully allocate or sell land,” said Mr Chikomba.
He said home seekers continued to face exploitation through illegal land sales, double allocations, fraudulent offer letters and unauthorised settlements.
“The continued exploitation of desperate home seekers through illegal land sales, double allocations, fraudulent offer letters and unauthorised settlements must be addressed decisively,” he said.
Mr Chikomba added that those responsible for illegal land dealings should be held accountable, regardless of their position or influence.
“No individual should be allowed to profit from the desperation of residents seeking decent and affordable housing,” he said.
“Those found guilty of illegal land dealings must be held accountable in accordance with the law, regardless of their position, influence or status.”
He called for investigations into reported cases, the recovery of illegally allocated public land where legally justified and appropriate remedies for innocent residents who may have been defrauded.
“Regularisation must not become a shield for land barons or a substitute for accountability. The focus must be on protecting genuine home seekers while ensuring that those responsible for illegal land transactions face the law,” he said.
Mr Chikomba said land reserved for schools, clinics, recreational facilities, community centres, roads and other public infrastructure must be protected from unlawful occupation.
“Where such land has been unlawfully occupied, the authorities must take appropriate legal steps to restore it to its intended use, while following lawful procedures and treating affected residents fairly,” he said.
He also called for transparent housing allocation plans, accurate land records and stronger safeguards against double allocations and fraudulent transactions.
Housing developments should be properly planned and supported by essential infrastructure, including roads, water supplies, sewer systems, schools and clinics, added Mr Chikomba.
He encouraged residents affected by the regularisation notice to visit their City of Harare District offices or relevant housing and planning offices to establish the legal status of their stands and determine whether they qualified for regularisation.
Residents were also advised to keep allocation letters, receipts and proof of payment and to verify information with the responsible authorities before making further payments.
Mr Chikomba further called on the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, the City of Harare and law enforcement agencies to provide clear information on regularisation procedures, compliance requirements, penalties and applicable deadlines.
He said innocent home seekers who had bought stands in good faith should be treated fairly and lawfully as authorities pursued those responsible for illegal land dealings.
