The JOC committee in the province is presided over by Jason Machaya, the minister of state for provincial affairs. Its members are drawn from provincial service chiefs commanding police, army, prisons and the intelligence services. The body gave the defiant traditional leaders a deadline of February 1 to reverse their actions.
Chiefs Nhema, Chirumanzu and Gambiza have been resisting efforts by the officials to reverse the illegal settlement of villagers, which they had unlawfully conducted in exchange for payments from the “beneficiaries.” In their defence, the three chiefs claimed they were the cultural custodians of land and had the right to resettle Whoever they wanted.
Chief Nhema is understood to have resettled over 300 families in Linslade, Hashu and Albany farms despite being aware that the ranches had been reserved for livestock grazing by the lands ministry. Some of the people who were resettled produced proof that they paid kickbacks of $1 each to the chief, an occurrence deemed criminal at law. The chief also settled 8,000 families in other parts of Shurugwi.
Chiefs Gambiza of Chiundura district and chief Chirumanzu also illegally resettled about 2,000 families in their respective areas.
Midlands provincial lands officer, Joseph Shoko, confirmed that the three chiefs had been given a deadline of February 1 by JOC to vacate their illegal settlements. “Chiefs alone are not allowed to settle any people in the areas they have jurisdiction over. In cases where they are given permission to do so, it will have been seen fit by the lands ministry.
“However, in the case of the three chiefs, they disregarded all those procedures and illegally settled people. We tried to advise them to reverse their actions but they turned us down. That is why JOC had to be involved,” he said.
Post published in: News