Some Zanu PF officials are allegedly running a large-scale extortion racket, targeting over 150 000 illegal residents in Harare South where they are demanding US$50 “regularisation fees” from each household.
Under the guise of a verification programme, ruling party provincial and district chefs will pocket more than US$7,5 million.
The suspects allegedly use President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s name to justify the scam and encourage the unsuspecting residents in Harare South to pay.
The Harare South block comprises Hunyani constituency, Harare South popularly known in Zanu PF circles as the V-Belt and Hunyani constituencies with over 150 000 households, mostly ruling party supporters who were illegally settled during elections.
The exercise is allegedly being carried out by Zanu PF Harare province officials led by the political commissar in the Harare district coordinating committee commissar, Reclief Chikwenhure.
Vulnerable residents are coerced into paying US$50 for regularisation of the illegal settlements or face eviction.
Chikwenhure was evasive when contacted for comment.
“Who brought that matter up? Is there anyone complaining? Who exactly is complaining?” he said before hanging up his phone.
In an audio leaked to Standard People, Chikwenhure admitted that he knew about the programme and claimed it was in line with Mnangagwa’s call for regularisation of illegal structures.
Chikwenhure said the issue was initiated by the party’s secretary for local government in Harare province, Brezh Mushawatu.
According to Zanu PF insiders, Ephraim Fundukwa, the Harare provincial vice-chairperson for Churu constituency who is also shadow MP for Churu constituency, is also part of the scheme to fleece residents of millions of dollars.
Under normal circumstances, regularisation should be the responsibility of the Harare City Council, which has already denied knowledge of this exercise in Harare South.
Tanaka Nyamushamba, who was collecting the money from residents, told Standard People that it was a Zanu PF-led project.
“It is a Zanu PF programme to regularise their stands,” Nyamushamba said.
“In Churu they were paying US$70, but in other areas it was US$50. The payments are above board.”
But Zanu PF provincial chairman Godwills Masimirembwa said he was not aware of the programme.
“Zanu PF has no such verification exercise,” he said.
“Chikwenhure is a strong Zanu PF cadre and would never carry out such an exercise when he has not been assigned.
“If the receipts are not issued from Zanu PF, then it is not a Zanu PF programme.
“Did you see Chikwenhure collecting the money himself?
“So, it’s a lie if he was not the one collecting the money.”
This publication gathered that the intention behind the scheme was not only to fleece vulnerable residents, but also to build a database to be used during the party's restructuring exercise.
Chaos erupted last week as Zanu PF youth, posing as local government ministry officials, were blocked by some opposition activists in the area from collecting the US$50 fees from desperate residents.
A video seen by Standard People shows opposition activists confronting the Zanu PF youths and asking them for identification, but they did not have any.
The Zanu PF youth claimed they were recruited by the Zimbabwe Statistics Agency (Zimstat).
Zimstat spokesperson Mercy Chidemo professed ignorance about any enumeration exercise in Harare South.
“What we are conducting is an economic exercise across the country and we don’t demand payment from our respondents,” Chidemo said.
The Zanu PF officials have been reported to the police for defrauding the residents.
Police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi was not reachable for comment.