Programmes Director Marvelous Khumalo told The Zimbabwean this week that residents were waiting for the authorities arrest the land barons and for justice to prevail.
“The 23-member delegation that conducted the inquiry included four police officers. We assumed this meant that the local authority arrest those implicated,” he said. “Failure to prosecute the land barons raises suspicions that there were accomplices within the local authority who benefited from the illegal land deals. If Chitungwiza town council is so sure that their land was stolen and they have nothing to hide, they should seek recourse through the courts.”
Last week, provincial magistrate M N Gofa granted an application filed by four Chitungwiza residents seeking to prevent the municipality and Glory to Glory Housing Co-operative from destroying residents’ houses without notice or a valid court order.
Delivering her ruling, Gofa said: “It is clear that the applicants have clear rights over their houses and have no alternative shelter or accommodation. Section 74 of the Constitution clearly states that no person may be evicted from their home or have it demolished without a order court made after considering all relevant circumstances.”
Dzimbabwe Chimbga from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said it was important for the local authority to concentrate on service delivery and developmental issues. “We are worried when Chitungwiza Town Council prioritises demolishing people’s houses at the expense of service delivery. Council should focus on allocating residents stands instead of demolishing the ones that are already there,” said the lawyer.
Post published in: News