According to court documents, the government expropriated about two thirds of the land that initially had been allocated to Nyatsime College. The land was then given to the Ministry of Local Government and Urban Development.
The ministry got assistance of the Urban Development Corporation to develop the land. UDCORP went into a joint venture with Old Mutual to develop a shopping centre.
The government was prepared to give Nyatsime College Z$55, 000, of which Z$25,000 was paid to the Nyatsime College Authority. The late Professor Stanlake Samkange refused to accept the small amount and took the matter to court.
The documents shows that several attempts were made to settle the issue of compensation between 1993 and 2007 without success. Subsequent directors of UDCORP, Job Makuwarara and one Nyamande held meetings with the Nyatsime College Board to persuade the school to withdraw the matter from the courts but it refused.
Attempts were also made to engage Old Mutual for some kind of payment for the land. It transpired that Old Mutual had no obligation to compensate Nyatsime since the land where the shopping centre was handed over to them by UDCORP.
The Deed of Grant that had been given to Old Mutual was cancelled in June 1995 and the land reverted back to the state.
Post published in: News