Alleged dirty land deals

The duo are facing internal hearing on various cases of abuse of office after scores of villagers in the district fingered them in shady land deals. In some cases the two officials are reported to have changed ownership of businesses and residential stands without the knowledge of the owners and full council.

Contacted by this reporter for a comment, the council CEO, Rufasha declined to comment and was quick to refer the matter to the District Administrator, Jorum Chimedza who would neither confirm nor deny the allegations.

A disgruntled Apostolic Faith Mission Church member, Hardson Vushe expressed concern over the suspicious, double allocation of the church’s stand.

“We were mind boggled to learn that our stand number 308 was given to someone else. Munyoro then gave us another stand, number 312 which we have also subsequently lost to another person.  As I am speaking we no longer know if we have a stand. Only God knows what is happening here,” said Vushe.

According to an internal council source the church is not the only victim.  More shade deals have been discovered and additional complaints are being received.

Another disgruntled land owner, Manuel Mudhumo made the following statement:  “I am shocked beyond words about what happened. How can the engineer possibly allocate himself my stand? This is the highest level of abuse of office. I have been informed that the stand I applied for in 2007 was already approved in 2011, but Munyoro never informed me of this. I now discover that my stand, stand number 145 has changed ownership. Taking advantage of my ignorance the officer removed my name and put his own name on stand 145.”

The exact nature of the alleged cases differ.  In some cases the engineers allegedly duplicated and in some cases tippled ownership of some of the stands with a constant stream of victims now visiting the Tongogara offices to lay complaints.

“So far there are about nine cases, of which some happened during the time when one of the accused was Acting Chief Executive Officer,” said a councillor who asked for anonymity.

A female council member who declined to be identified echoed the same sentiments saying that these nine cases are just the tip of the iceberg: “There are several illicit dealings dating back to 2011 that both Munyoro and Shumba are implicated in. You can contact Mudhumo, the AFM church and the other victims on the list that I have given you for free. Some journalists pay for such delicate information,” she said with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

This lady added that the accused were supposed to face a series of internal hearings but due to them having a lot of influence over councillors who are also board members it is highly likely that the hearings will be compromised.

“Those councillors who absconded are included in the people who benefited from the dirty land deals, “she added.

According to the council’s policy document, all five disciplinary hearing committee members must be present for any meeting, hearing or decision making in order for it to be legal and binding.

In a telephone interview, Shurugwi District Administrator, Chimedza told this journalist: “As of now I am not at liberty to make a comment on that as I am still in the dark about the issue,”