Gwashero collapsed three times recently, when some local board members and business people reportedly filled her water well with sand and slashed her sugarcane crop and trees to force her off the property.
The board said it was facilitating occupation of land by legitimate owners registered at its offices. It described Gwashero as one of thousands of illegal settlers who should move off the stands. “If the board does not reverse its decision to evict innocent people like myself, I will take my life and get buried in the trenches prepared for the shop’s foundations here,” said Gwashero, shedding tears.
Some business people have started moulding bricks on her’s and other residents’ stands ahead of intended construction of shops. Presently, some 18 families are affected by the evictions in Domboramwari ahead of a massive exercise the local authority said would see thousands of ‘illegal’ settlers kicked out of Epworth.
The targeted families settled in Epworth in the early 80s and acquired the land from missionaries, to whom they paid $8 in annual taxes on the understanding that they would be eventual owners of the land.
Some residents told The Zimbabwean that in 1983 the land dispute against government went to the courts during Minister Enos Chikore’s term of office, and the people won.
“We wonder how the local authority would claim ownership over the land against a court ruling. To complicate matters, the board is not willing to reveal if the original map has provision for commercial stands in the targeted areas,” said a resident privy to the dispute.
Nyarai Rutsito, 31, who inherited a stand from her late parents, said the board should recognise their stay since they paid $7 in monthly bills to council like every other ratepayer. She said they had been issued with stand ownership cards by the board.
“The evictions are unfair and illegal as we have been made to pay for services on the understanding that our stands would be regularised. The authorities should have consulted us before allocating our stands to other people,” Rutsito said.
Tafireyinyika Murambidzi, the board chairperson, said the targeted families were illegal and would be evicted without alternative land being provided. “Out of the estimated 16,000 residents of Epworth, less than 4,000 are registered with the board. The rest used political affiliations to force themselves on the area,” he said. He blamed political parties and land barons for the illegal occupations.
Peter Nyapetwa, secretary for Epworth Residents Development Association, warned the board against violating the constitution and taking unilateral decisions that could lead to illegal evictions.
“The board should respect property rights, the elderly and residents will take legal action if the city fathers and management fail to behave,” he said. Nyapetwa threatened that if the evictions continue as planned, residents would have no choice but express their anger through mass demonstrations.
The association has petitioned the Parliamentary Committee for Local Government to investigate the board and Lawyers for Human Rights have been approached to assist the victims.
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