THE commission of inquiry into the City of Harare’s financial affairs has exposed more rot in the municipality’s land allocation processes saying it was marred by favouritism, nepotism and corruption.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed the commission led by retired judge Justice Maphios Cheda early this year to investigate financial management systems and audit compliance with the Public Finance Management Act.
The commission recently heard that the land allocated to the city’s director of works Zvenyika Chawatama Chawatama for US$55 000 was actually valued at US$146 000.
It was also revealed that embattled town clerk Hosiah Chisango, who was recently suspended over a myriad of allegations, received a stand valued at US$50 000.
Housing, Health, Education and Licensing committee chairperson Blessing Muroiwa who appeared before the commission last week, was at pains to explain the land allocation when he was quizzed over the issues.
He, however, conceded that corruption existed in the land allocations adding that his department only gets a list of the people given leases from council.
“I am not sure of how it was decided but from the commercial side, they give a list of the people they have given leases but they do not give us a breakdown of the housing list.
“It could be a misnomer but according to our housing policy, there is no way to state that we must receive land that has been allocated since the names of beneficiaries shall be deduced from the housing list,” he said.
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Muroiwa said according to the municipality’s housing policy, there was nowhere it is stated that the housing department should bring the beneficiaries’ names.
He said the council had embarked on land regularisation process to correct anomalies that happened some 10 to 15 years ago
“May I put to your attention, My Lord, that since I became the chairperson for housing, we have seen some anomalies within the regularisation process.
“Those are some of the things that we are trying to correct and I want you to know that up to date, not a very big percentage of applicants have lived in red lines.
“Yes, but a larger part is now involving what are known as land barons. I do not want to put it as that because here I have got a form which explains the categories of the land barons and those that were cooperatives and also the titles and properties.”
Muroiwa said land barons had seriously affected the smooth running of land allocations including town planning.
The commission, through evidence leader Tabani Mpofu, however, indicated that the land barons have approached the city council with a list of their beneficiaries.
Muroiwa also expressed the difficulty in explaining the flawed processes at the municipality.
“I do not know how to put it. It is categorised in four categories. Number one, I think the commission in the House may remember that sometime ago government came up with cooperatives in a totally local-based way, making sure that the land is given to cooperatives so that they do parallel development of that land.
“And I would like to think that is where everything that brought in some of the problems that we are facing now because the cooperatives that were given that land by the seat of power did not develop the land did not get compliancy, were not channelled into the system with the seat of power,” he said.
The commission asked Muroiwa to comment on the issue of the council spending US$11 million on workshops.
“I would say if it is true that the city council spent US$11 million on workshops, it's improper and it is an unsafe report. That money should have been taken to hospitals to make sure that young people are prioritised in the city,” he said.
