Online Reporter
Paul Pindani in CHINHOYI
AN ugly dispute between a businessman and a local private school, over the ownership of a piece of land on the outskirts of Karoi, has now been resolved.
The row had spilled into the High Court.
Businessman, Innocent Chidhakwa, approached the High Court in Chinhoyi seeking an urgent intervention for a resolution of the dispute.
In his urgent application, he claimed the land in question, Stand 8684 in the Industrial Area near the Golf Course, belongs to him.
He said until the dispute over the ownership of the stand is resolved, there should be no development on the property.
Chidhakwa was seeking to bar Devine Visions College from carrying out any developments on the property.
However, the parties have now resolved the matter and Chidhakwa has withdrawn his High Court application.
Authorities at Divine Visions College had challenged Chidhakwa’s claims in their court papers.
School Director, Patrick Navhaya, said in his court papers:
“The rights of the land relate to Morbman Logistics (Pvt) Ltd and not to him as the addressee or director or shareholder.
“The institution had long earmarked the site for future expansion as vital to the school’s growth and ability to serve its students.
“We intend to develop facilities that include sports grounds, a boys’ hostel and other infrastructure that will improve the learning environment for our students.
“We are inspired by the call from his Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa in urging Zimbabweans to take part in building the nation through investments in key sectors such as education, “ said Navhaya.
He added:
“As private citizens, we realised that education is one of the most powerful tools to transform communities, especially in growing towns like Karoi where the demand for quality learning institutions continues to increase,”
Principal Director, Fanuel Musengi, said:
“The institution has already recorded a 100 percent pass rate at both Grade 7 and Advanced Level, with Ordinary Level results currently at 54 percent.
“By integrating Zimbabwe’s heritage-based education model, we are equipping learners with practical and vocational skills designed for life beyond the classroom.
“We are aligning our programmes with heritage-based education so that learners graduate with practical competencies.”
Chidhakwa agreed to withdraw the urgent chamber application and to pay the legal costs incurred by the school.
As part of the agreement, Karoi Town Council was brought in to verify payments made for the stand and determine the correct boundaries of the property.
Council acting director of housing, Admire Jimu, said there were underlying issues to the dispute.
“The dispute is linked to historical irregularities in land allocations, complexities which the Council is now working to regularise.”
