BY TAFADZWA KACHIKO
NATIONAL Housing and Social Amenities minister Daniel Garwe has warned corrupt councillors against illegally giving out land in their respective local authorities.
Garwe said this while commissioning 26 houses at NMB Bank's Reoville Estate in Harare on Friday last week.
“We are encouraging local authorities, particularly councillors, to say please don't turn yourselves into land barons. Don't sell land that is not yours. The land belongs to the people. Councillors are selling all open spaces, we are aware of that,” he said.
“The arm of the law will catch up with them very soon,” Garwe said.
Blaming informal settlements for derailing government’s aspirations to turn Zimbabwe into an upper middle-income economy by 2030, he said: “We can't achieve that if people are just building willy nilly. We must be properly organised, regulated in a proper manner. That's what government is asking for.”
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Chitungwiza Progressive Residents Association secretary-general Gift Kurupati blamed political parties which are harbouring the barons for worsening the situation.
“The law must take its course without fear or favour and the National Housing ministry must also provide affordable houses to the people. If it does its part the situation can be better, because the land barons are taking advantage of people's desperation,” he said.
Meanwhile, residents of Adelaide and Rockview Park in Epworth, Harare are bitter over noise from blasting activities at a Chinese-owned quarry mining site.
Epworth Residents Development Association secretary, Peter Nyapetwa said the company was awarded a tender without consultations.
“Our councillors from both the political divide are just corrupt. They awarded a tender to the Chinese without consulting residents. We are shocked to see them already extracting quarry,” he said.
“Residents are appealing to the responsible ministries such as the Local Government and Public Works and Mines and any other responsible authorities who may have the powers to stop the blasting taking place.”