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Chombo and Chiyangwa fume as City of Harare's land audit report makes shocking revelations
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
April 20, 2010

The shocking Land Audit Report that was produced by a Special Committee led by Councilor Warship Dumba has set heads rolling in Harare. The report, which exposes the unprocedural way in which business tycoon Philip Chiyangwa and Minister of Local Government, Ignatius Chombo acquired large tracts of land for next to nothing, has generated a lot of anger among residents. The report has caused serious headaches for the two political bigwigs and the mega rich politicians and business people who have been thriving on allegedly stolen land. The report has been able to name and shame other individuals like Harare's Town Clerk Dr Mahachi, the unpopular former Harare Commission Chairperson Sekesai Makwavara, C.Nemera, Psychology Chiwenga, and Michael Mahachi. CHRA has it on record that this report is the spark plug to the political quagmire that has seen the Minister of Local Government and Urban Development, Ignatius Chombo, summersault on top of councilors demanding their heads on a silver platter!

The report has revealed that Council (Item 8, Finance Committee meeting dated 12th December 2007) resolved for a land swap of Stand 389 Derbyshire measuring 17, 6ha (from Kilima Investments) with City of Harare's Gun Hill Stand 19345 measuring 10,23ha. However, Chiyangwa"s company (Kilima Investments) was given 17.6 hectares contrary to the resolution of Council. Council Officials did not follow the resolution that was made on 26 June, 2008, that rescinded the decision on the Kilima's land swap deal but took it upon themselves in collaboration with Chiyangwa (Director of Kilima Investments) to allocate alternative land to the company with neither authority from Council nor a report of their decision to Council.

The Minister was also involved in multiple property ownership; a situation that has seen him with vast tracts of land despite a Council policy that no one should own more than one residential property. The Land Audit report also reveals that Chombo has since registered all this land in his company's name. Land reserved for recreational activities would end up having Title Deeds in the Minister's company name. A case in point is Stand 61 Hellensvale, Harare, measuring almost 20 hectares. According to the Advice of Payment, the Minister paid US$2 300 for this stand!

These shocking revelations come at a time when thousands of Harare Citizens do not have decent accommodation and Council is failing to meet the housing demand. Harare is surrounded by squatter camps; the Housing Department has thousands on its housing waiting list and yet Minister Chombo, who claims to have the interests of residents at heart, has decided to effectively empower himself with the City's land resources while thousands of residents stay homeless.

In a normal situation, one would expect the police to carry out investigations into the issues raised in the Land Audit report so as to prove its authenticity. However, to everyone's chagrin, the police arrested the accusers instead of the accused! Police arrested some Councillors who are members of the Land Audit Committee after Chiyangwa instructed his lawyers to write a complaint letter accusing the Councilors for defaming his character. One wonders what power Chiyangwa has over the police; or is it his political muscles and connections?

CHRA does not condone any form of corruption. The police should stop harassing the City of Harare Land Audit Committee. In fact, Chiyangwa and Chombo must be brought in for questioning. They should prove themselves innocent instead of trying to intimidate the Councilors. Moreover, if they have nothing to hide, they should lead by example and lay themselves bare for the law to take its course.

CHRA is committed to advocating for good, transparent and accountable local governance as well as lobbying for quality and affordable municipal services on a non-partisan basis.

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