CORRUPTION is one of the worst impediments to economic and social development in any country in the world.
The scourge needs to be nipped in the bud by dedicated people who have the nation at heart, not a few individuals who are merely after self-aggrandisement.
Recently, The Standard carried a story about criminal land cartels in Mashonaland East province which were accused of grabbing vast tracts of land in the province, with Seke district leading the vice.
The investigation by the journalist was so extensive that everyone could understand the gravity of corruption orchestrated by Lands ministry officials, who somehow seem untouchable.
The officers should know they are mere government employees who are there to do public service.
The eviction of renowned war veteran, Bernard Masendeke, from Subdivision 1 of Dover Farm is a tip of the iceberg as many people are victims of similar evictions and moving away in silence.
Some are threatened by Lands officials because they have nowhere to report their cases while others suffer in total silence.
Corruption in the ministry has reached a crescendo where all relevant departments should now come together to eradicate it.
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Masendeke’s case shows how land is being availed to cronies, thus disadvantaging the ordinary prospective farmers who have no capacity to raise as much as US$80 000.
The same story shows how lax the executives in the Lands ministry are in rooting out corruption.
Some of the people written about in the article are not new to controversy, while others have numerous complaints against them.
Clara Makumbe is mentioned several times, yet she continues to lead the Lands ministry in Seke district.
Lands permanent secretary Obert Jiri admits in the same newspaper article that corruption is rampant in the ministry.
Why does a whole ministry with a minister, deputy minister, permanent secretary, directors, deputy directors not take action against deep-seated corruption under its jurisdiction?
Is this not a sign of failure that warrants the entire leadership to resign?
I trust that the politburo secretary for lands can solve the mess at the Lands ministry.
Everyone should know that corruption is retrogressive by nature.
Medical practitioners approached President Emmerson Mnangagwa for pieces of agricultural land.
The President was quick to respond and in three days, our letters were back.
The practitioners once enthusiastically went around the country to identify vacant or underutilised land with the help of local officials.
Land was found, inspected and the Lands minister Anxious Masuka recommended subdivisions and re-planning of some of the farms.
The sad news is that no one has been allocated anything four years down the line, with medical practitioners being tossed from one office to another.
I view that to be a way of frustrating the applicants so that the issue goes into total oblivion.
Is that not tantamount to undermining the authority of the President and the Lands minister?
The provincial lands office, led by Clifford Mukoyi, has offered little help.
Seke district lands office seems to be stalling all movements in this matter.
Many people have complained about the rot in the Lands ministry, with some officials being implicated in illegal allocation of land while others are showing cronyism, favouritism or nepotism when land allocation is done.
You hear the whole Lands ministry claiming that land is no longer available for allocation yet the next day, a friend of some officials is allocated virgin land next to you.
Complaints are raised on a daily basis against corrupt lands officials in Chegutu, Kadoma, Chinhoyi, Bindura, but no action is taken against the implicated officials.
The Lands ministry needs a complete overhaul if sanity is to be restored.
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) should sharpen its teeth when cases are reported to it, otherwise we will be stagnant forever.
I understand that the politburo wields more power and authority over government and it is my appeal to its secretary for lands to rein in ministry officials who are putting the name of the ministry into disrepute.
If the President does not know what is happening on the ground, then it is high time the politburo secretary, through his directors, informed the highest office in the country.
The ruling party should know that there are many detractors in government departments who are bent on derailing national progress.
Heads should roll in the Lands ministry if sanity is to be restored.
Zacc should investigate all cases of corruption in land allocation.
Corruption is one serious way of sabotaging the government.
Johannes Marisa is a medical practitioner who is the current president of the Medical and Dental Private Practitioners Association of Zimbabwe
