…As some Zanu-PF members defy Presidential orders to vacate Gimboki South

Ngoni Dapira

GOVERNMENT has declared a seven (7) days ultimatum to illegal settlers that became a law unto themselves and parceled out stands in Mutare’s high density suburb of Gimboki South in Dangamvura.

The directive was issued on Wednesday by the permanent secretary for Presidential Affairs in the Office of the President, Tafadzwa Muguti, who came to Mutare representing the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Lovemore Matuke, to address Gimboki residents on the long-lasting matter. The meeting drew heavy police presence that were on standby in the event of melee, as there have been social media posts of some adamant ‘illegal settlers’ backed by some Zanu-PF members who are threatening not to back down regardless of official warnings to evacuate.

Part of the crowd that attended the meeting in Gimboki.

The permanent secretary of the new Ministry which was created last year to superintend the mandate of the offices of the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution countrywide, said the President sent them to deliver a stern warning against lawlessness when it comes to urban settlements, which is why there is the inescapable ongoing operation countrywide, evicting illegal settlers and arresting village heads and individuals that were selling agricultural land to desperate home seekers in peri-urban areas, what is colloquially being referred as sabhuku (village head) deals.

“We are giving you seven days to pack your belongings from the land that you gave yourself or were given illegally. The President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) said all party leaders (Zanu-PF) must distance themselves from parceling out land willy-nilly. It does not matter what position you have in the party, when it comes to land, no one is above the law,” said Muguti, who did not mince his words.

Adding, “If you are here and had given yourself a job of parceling out stands please stop it this instant. We do not want to hear this issue of land barons parceling out land in Gimboki.”

Muguti said urban renewal is in progress so people should wait patiently for land to be serviced and availed procedurally for urban dwelling through the relevant authorities. He said they first sent a warning to the perpetrators through the district leadership and the provincial leadership, then Zanu-PF national leadership also wrote a letter and the Joint Operations Command (JOC) as well, but all warnings were ignored.

“We told the culprits to desist from what they were doing but they did not listen. Consequently those culprits were arrested and have also been suspended from the party for five years. We do not want people using the President’s name in vain on land issues,” said Muguti.

He underscored that true Zanu-PF party members follow the party decrees and do not go against directives spelt out by its leadership. Muguti said Zanu-PF will not stand with lawless individuals.

In December last year, the police arrested five suspected land barons in Mutare for illegally allocating housing stands in September. The five, Binali Yard (48), Webster Mudzimwa (39), Tawanda Ndawe (42), Trust Matima (39), Brian Marange (59) are currently out on bail but had a gloomy Christmas holiday after spending it in remand prison. Zanu-PF party shortly after the arrest of Yard, who was the Mutare District Coordination Committee (DCC) chairperson, went on to suspend him for five years, collectively with his four other committee members who were jointly charged with illegally parceling land in the Gimboki South.

Gimboki, ward 15, which was a farm under the City of Mutare was availed for urban settlement in 2007. The high density area currently has 5200 stands officially. However the illegal settlers had taken over land reserved for institutional stands and offside infrastructure, as well as land referred to as the remainder of Gimboki which shares the same boundary with the peri-urban Dora village. This land is not yet serviced but some people have already put housing structures unlawfully.

The Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution Advocate Misheck Mugadza

The Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution Advocate Misheck Mugadza said it is fact that people want land for housing but urged Mutare residents to acquire land procedurally. He told the permanent secretary that some individuals had approached him with a lawyer and pleaded for forgiveness and submitted their names to voluntary vacate but asked for a place to be relocated.

“Desperation and pressure mounted on our people for land and they unfortunately did the wrong thing by taking over land unprocedurally from the local authority. Please forgive them for this behavior. Some have however sent their representative to plead for leniency and we have their names. We hope all of the illegal settlers in Gimboki will follow suit, but thank you Hon Minister for coming and hope the message from the President that you came with will help resolve this sticky situation,” said Minister Mugadza.

Muguti said those that pleaded for leniency and submitted their names on the list did the right thing and will be relocated to another place which will be designated by the local authority.

“However for those that are adamant and have refused to play ball, we are going to show you that Zimbabwe is not lawless. We will help you pack after seven days if you refuse to vacate. We have laws in Zimbabwe and these laws should be followed,” said Muguti.

In a side interview with Gimboki councilor, Itai Chisoni , he said ward 15 had become lawless and applauded government that is now stepping in to ensure rule of law on property rights and land allocation.

“The problem is that people are living on land not yet serviced. This is unacceptable in an urban settlement. Urban houses are built based on plans made by the local authority and this should be the norm. The problems of double allocation of stands will also be solved after this because some people were now being disadvantaged by the parceling out of land along political lines,” said Chisoni.

Muguti was accompanied by national directors from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities as well as Manicaland JOC members and Zanu-PF Manicaland central committee members.