A PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa ally and Zanu PF provincial executive member appeared in court yesterday facing charges of grabbing council land in Harare and parcelling it out to desperate homeseekers.
The suspect, Voyage Dhambuza (41) who is the provincial secretary for security, appeared before Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi.
He was remanded him in custody after the State opposed bail on allegations of carrying out unauthorised development in respect of 49 stands in Crowborough.
The complainant is the City of Harare represented by its director of housing Samuel Nyabezi.
According to the State, sometime in 2016, Dhambuza formed a housing development scheme, New Dawn Housing Pay Scheme, which he chairs.
The scheme had a membership of 49 people.
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Around 2022, Dhambuza allegedly identified an open space, Harare City Council land stand number 4273 in Crowborough measuring 7,4 hectares.
The court heard that the land baron allegedly invaded the open space and pegged 49 residential stands measuring 300 square metres each.
He allocated the stands to desperate homeseekers without authority from Harare City Council.
The court heard that Dhambuza was warned by the City of Harare to stop the illegal activities, but he allegedly ignored the warning and gave the greenlight to his beneficiaries to construct houses.
The matter came to light after council noticed that Dhambuza was constructing roads and structures without authorisation.
Investigations revealed that Dhambuza, through his trust, invaded council land in contravention of section 24(1)(4) of the Regional, Town and Country Planning Act [Chapter 29:12].
According to our sister paper, The Standard, Dhambuza went on the rampage recently removing Zanu PF supporters in Harare province from party WhatsApp groups accusing them of siding with Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga in the ruling party’s factional wars.
He is also a close ally of Harare provincial chairperson Godwills Masimirembwa.