The farm was taken over in 2010 by Kingsdale Housing Cooperative, which is chaired by Simon Sibiya, a Zanu (PF) member, and illegally parcelled out for the construction of houses. Beneficiaries of the housing scheme have demanded compensation after it emerged that there were irregularities in the acquisition of the farm.
The Zimbabwean is in possession of a letter written by District Administrator, Makanzwei Jecheche dated May 13, 2013 in which he admits the acquisition had been nullified with permission from the Minister of Lands, Land Reform and Rural Settlement.
“I am pleased to inform you that the Government has negotiated through the Ministry of Local Government that members of your cooperative shall not be evicted, provided that each member pays to the developer an agreed sum for the purchase of the stand,” reads part of the letter.
Sources privy to the developments indicate that Sibiya and a Zanu (PF) Central Committee member, Lydia Tsomondo, reportedly after consultations with Minister of Local Government Ignatius Chombo, coordinated the takeover.
“At one rally in 2008 Chombo as Zanu (PF) National Secretary of Lands was addressing the Norton people and Amai Tsomondo and Sibiya told him they had discovered a farm suitable for residential resettlement.
“Chombo said that was good and invited them to come to his office for further modalities to acquire the land and when they went there, they were referred to the former DA identified as Mariga,” said the source.
Mariga however, did a shoddy job in investigating the farm and granted permission to the housing cooperative to acquire 10 hectares which was donated by Nel to the Norton Town Council for residential stands under Operation Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle. “Tsomondo and Sibiya then acquired 100 hectares which they sold to hundreds of house seekers. The sale was done without any written agreements. The estate has urban title deeds and it cannot be acquired under the rural resettlement land reform programme unless government somehow invokes other laws to acquire the land,” added the source.
Jecheche is reportedly failing to conduct a meeting to announce the developments to the disgruntled beneficiaries of Kingsdale Housing Cooperative who are baying for his blood.
“I have negotiated that each member of the cooperative pay the purchase price over a period of 30 months from date of sale of the stands,” Jecheche said in the letter.
“Those who are unableto meet the cost or price of the stand will be reimbursed by the developer for the monies paid to the cooperative but shall not include monies realised from resale of the stands,” he added.
A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity said Nel is demanding a deposit of $1,000 plus while they had initially paid between $150-250 in the cooperative for a stand.
Jecheche emphasised in the letter that the cooperative no longer had any claims to the farm.
“The developer shall reimburse the cooperative for all monies expended towards application for the subdivision, permit, survey, engineering diagrams among other things, which monies were reasonably spent on the project. Thus the cooperative must meet with Cuthbert Mpame a lawyer for Nel and handover all necessary documents to achieve this,” wrote Jecheche.
A visit to the farm by The Zimbabwean revealed that most members of the housing cooperative have already built cottages, while some houses are completely built.
Nel’s farm manager refused to comment on the matter. However, outgoing councillors revealed that when they came into office in 2008 they had intentions to properly distribute the donated 10 hectares but, Chombo told them to leave the land as it did not belong to council.
“Chombo told us that we do not have anything to do with Kingsdale land as it was beyond our control but a Zanu (PF) project under the land reform programme,” said one councillor.
“However, he (Chombo) has since appointed an inquiry committee headed by the Mashonaland West, Provincial Administrator, Christopher Shumba to investigate how Sibiya and Tsomondo acquired the 100 hectares,” added the councillor.
Tsomondo denied any involvement in the selling of Kingsdale stands.
“I do not know anything about Kingsdale stands but as a senior party member in the town I only know that it is Ambassador Chris Mutsvangwa who engineered everything,” she said.
According to people on the ground there is bad blood between Tsomondo and Mutsvangwa as the two battled in the recently held primaries with the latter emerging the victor.
Sibiya refused to comment on the matter. Chombo and Mutsvangwa’s mobile phones were continuously not reachable as they were reportedly busy with campaigns.
Post published in: News