Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume is facing mounting criticism amid a growing land dispute that has left over 300 families from St Martins on the brink of eviction — despite claims that they legally bought their residential stands from the City of Harare.
The affected homeowners, whose stands lie just past Coca-Cola opposite Sungidale along Chitungwiza Road, say they were blindsided by the local authority’s recent eviction order after discovering that the same land had allegedly been resold to the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference (ZCBC).
In a formal notice issued by Acting Director of Planning, Samuel Nyabezi, the City of Harare accused the residents of carrying out unauthorised developments and ordered them to halt construction immediately.
“You are hereby directed to cease all ongoing development activities and to restore the property to its original condition. Failure to comply will result in enforcement action,” reads part of the letter.
However, residents of St Martins, situated near Airport Road, insist they are the rightful owners of the land — stating that they purchased the stands through official city channels in 2019.
Their representative, David Jenje, who chairs the St Martins Pay Scheme, accused the city of betrayal and double-dealing.
“We legally acquired these stands from the City of Harare and have the paperwork to prove it — including offer letters, sale agreements, and receipts showing full payment. Council cannot now turn around and sell the same land to another party,” said Jenje.
He revealed that several homeowners have already begun constructing houses, while others invested in infrastructure such as roads, sewer lines, and water systems — all with the city’s full knowledge and approval.
“Some construction materials were even stored at Council’s Remembrance Offices, and when they went missing, the city admitted responsibility,” added Jenje.
Documents reviewed by ZiMetro News show that each stand was priced at US$12,000. In correspondence dated April 2023, the city’s Director of Housing and Community Services, Mr. Sithole, acknowledged the loss of residents’ materials and assured them the Council would replace them once authorised.
“A report has been prepared seeking authority to replace the missing materials once Council accedes to the request,” wrote Sithole in the letter.
Despite these assurances, residents say no action was taken — and communication with city officials eventually ceased. To their shock, the Council recently issued an eviction directive, sparking outrage among affected homeowners.
“We paid in full and followed all procedures. After four years of investment, we are suddenly being told to leave. This is outright fraud by the same institution that sold us the land,” lamented one resident.
The eviction saga has intensified concerns over rampant corruption and poor governance within the City of Harare, which has been dogged by similar scandals involving multiple land sales and questionable allocations.
As the city’s top official, Mayor Jacob Mafume is now under pressure to clarify the matter and take responsibility. However, attempts by ZiMetro News to obtain comment from either Mafume or his spokesperson Stanley Gama were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
Critics argue that the latest scandal underscores deep-rooted corruption within Harare’s municipal system and raises serious questions about accountability, transparency, and justice for ratepayers.