Acting Zanu PF Secretary General Cde Patrick Chinamasa
By Dickson Bandera
The ruling party, Zanu PF has directed law enforcement agencies to arrest land barons and invaders who are abusing the party name to grab and distribute land in illegal settlements and called these criminals to stop forthwith.
So far Zanu PF has identified and initiated disciplinary action against some of its members who have been parceling land illegally, claiming to have clearance from the party authorities, which Cde Chinamasa said was inconsistent with the party policy on land distribution.
Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West and Manicaland have been identified as the most problematic provinces.
In a strongly worded statement dated 27 December 2023, that gave a sitrep of the illegal activities in various provinces across the country, Zanu PF Acting Secretary General Cde Patrick Chinamasa distanced Zanu PF from the land barons and grabbers saying Zanu PF policy is against illegal land distribution.
“ZANU PF is alarmed at the mushrooming and proliferation of illegal occupations and settlements on communal, local authority and State land in and around major towns and cities, rural service centres and growth points, and perpetrated by land barons, some of who are masquerading as ZANU PF supporters and, through use of name dropping, falsely suggest that their illegal activities have the authority and blessings of ZANU PF. Yet other land barons are using doctored and falsified documents as one of the strategies to mislead innocent stand buyers to part with their hard-earned cash,” said Cde Chinamasa.
“ZANU PF demands that all illegal land occupations, illegal sale or parcelling out of land or stands and illegal land developments should stop forthwith and calls upon law-enforcement agencies to enforce the law and bring any perpetrators to book.”
Cde Chinamasa pointed that all the land in the country has some authority who administer it hence those seeking to dwell on any land should follow the proper procedures through the authorities in that jurisdiction.
“Communal land is administered under the Communal Lands Act and is vested in the President of the Republic. State land is also vested in the President and administered variously under the ministries.
“Other land fall under the jurisdiction of local authority councils. Finally, there is land which falls under private ownership. Therefore, any occupation or settlement or development of any land requires the lawful authorisation of the relevant planning authority which has jurisdiction over such land.”
Cde Chinamasa gave details of some of the affected areas in different provinces.
“ZANU PF Manicaland province has already taken disciplinary action against the Mutare DCC (district coordinating committee) chairman Mr Yard Binali and a number of his DCC colleagues, namely Brian Marange, Tawanda Ndawe, Webster Mudzimwa and Trust Matima.”
Cde Chinamasa said complimented the law-enforcement agents for swiftly stepping in to protect the area along Rusape River, which illegal parcelling out of land was taking place. The river supplies water to Rusape Town Council.
In Mashonaland West at Somerby Farm, under Zvimba district, just along Harare Bulawayo-Bulawayo road, there were clashes over the illegal settlements where some were injured.
“Violent clashes over illegal settlements on Lot 4 Somerby Farm left Panashe Timothy Kuguyo, Monalisa Kuguyo, Medial Kuguyo, Kevin Gemu, Agnes Bhero and Otilia Gemu injured,” he said.
Cde Chinamasa also identified other farms affected by illegal settlements caused by land barons in Mashonaland West as Penrose Farm (143ha), Lilfordia (660ha), Haydon (744,5ha) Rainham (1 200ha) and Spitzkop (477ha). He said part of the land at Haydon Farm was earmarked for a school and a hotel.
“In Mashonaland East province, land barons were illegally selling residential stands on resettlement farms in Seke district under Manyame Rural District Council’s Longlands Farms, Kimcote Farm and Mnandi Farm, which belong to the late Cde Amos Midzi, and Ealing Farm, which belongs to the late Colonel Katuka.
“Also badly affected by the prevailing wave of illegal occupations are villages outside Chitungwiza and most rural service centres in Seke district; in particular, the Dema area has not been spared from the illegal land occupations.
“Under the Goromonzi Rural Council area, illegal settlements have been taking place at Proton Farm, Caledonia Farm and villages in Domboshava and Chishawasha.
In Caledonia, land barons are selling out land randomly and occupying spaces reserved for schools and clinics,” he said.
While Zanu PF has championed land distribution and has over the years demonstrated commitment to ensure that every Zimbabwean own their piece of land either in the urban or rural areas without any strict terms and conditions, there has always been some legal routes to follow.
