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Land scandal
Harare Residents
Trust (HRT)
May 03, 2010
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Executive
Summary:
The City of Harare carried
out an investigation into the dealings involving their Department
of Urban Planning Services (DUPS), the City and Valuation Estates
Management (CVEM), the Department of Housing and Community Services
(DHCS) between last quarter of 2007 and August 2008. The report,
dated 23 March 2010 and titled: "Special Investigations'
Committee's Report on City of Harare's Land Sales, Leases
and Exchanges from the Period October 2004 to December 2009"
has raised serious issues concerning the council's land policies
and gives an insight into the real motives for the appointment of
illegitimate commissions to run cities and towns in place of elected
councillors and also the unfair dismissal of council officials who
were replaced by technocrats from the Local Government, Rural and
Urban Development Ministry.
In these deals, the Minister
of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development, Ignatius Chombo,
Pinnacles Director Philip Chiyangwa, Dr Tendai Mahachi, in his capacity
as both City Strategist/Consultant and Town Clerk, and Michael Mahachi,
in his capacity as Commission Chairman and a Special Interest Councillor,
featured prominently, reasons this paper seeks to highlight.
This report comes at
a time the police and the lawyers representing Philip Chiyangwa
have taken legal action against the Mayor of Harare Muchadeyi Masunda
and Elected City Councillors who investigated the land deals, including
journalists who reported on the findings of the report. This action
is an elitist attempt to stop the City of Harare from carrying out
its lawful mandate of safeguarding public resources from plunder
by government officials in high authority. The HRT views the actions
of the police and the statements subsequently made by one of the
major actors in the investigations report, Psychology Chiwanga as
malicious and meant to protect the alleged involvement of Minister
Chombo, Chiyangwa and senior City of Harare personnel. Chiwanga
has claimed in media reports that he is being targeted because of
his political beliefs. That is unprofessional on his part to try
and hide behind party affiliation.
The report gives an insight
into what went on in the Airport road deal between the City of Harare
and Augur Investments, the Warren Hills Golf course Housing Development
and the land swap deal between involving Kilima Investments, businessman
Philip Chiyangwa's company.
This analysis
seeks among other things to critically examine the contents of the
City of Harare's
report and measure the actions of each public official mentioned
in the report against the principle of public interest, transparency
and accountability. The HRT also seeks to highlight emerging trends
in asset stripping of public institutions by corrupt and unaccountable
politicians, hiding behind their public offices. Lastly, this analysis
critiques the adherence to the provisions of the Urban
Council's Act (Chapter 29:15), council's housing
and land policies in the pursuit of good local governance.
Those implicated have
to be dealt with in the harshest possible manner as a deterrent
against future looting of public resources. It is not our intention
as HRT to speculate, but to ensure that at the end of the day justice
prevails. Public officials have to be held accountable. The utilisation
of public resources has to be transparent.
For details
and comments please contact the Harare Residents' Trust (HRT)
on +263 912 869 294, +263 733 296 806 or email us on hretrust@yahoo.com/
hretrust79@gmail.com
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