Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

LOCAL NEWS

Zanu PF, Prophet Makandiwa In Loggerheads Over Land Scandal

Zanu PF, Prophet Makandiwa In Loggerheads Over Land Scandal

Harare | In Retreat, Waterfalls, Harare, more than 300 illegitimate buildings were destroyed last week to provide space for the United Family International Church (UFIC), under the leadership of Emmanuel Makandiwa, to take up residence.

The land was originally given to the family living in these buildings by land lords who were allegedly connected to the Zanu PF.

The demolitions took place in a community called KumaCongo, which is well-known for its illegal stands. Some of these stands were held by Congolese citizens who had purchased them from a dead land magnate known as Nkomo.

Anti-riot police were heavily present throughout the operation, ordering locals to leave the area by 15:00 on Friday in order to make way for the demolitions.

In December of the previous year, UFIC’s founder and head, Emmanuel Makandiwa, gave the illegal squatters a chance to voluntary demolish their buildings and recover what they could in an attempt to lessen their losses.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

When the Newsday crew arrived at Retreat, they found a family trapped along Seke Road with their possessions. Some impacted people were moving their belongings and removing everything that might be salvaged from the cleared area, such bricks.

“We were aware that Makandiwa was the owner of the land because we were issued notices long ago,” said one of the evicted people, expressing their viewpoint. We assumed there wouldn’t be any demolitions since we had acquired the stands from a local Zanu PF “chairman,” so we were complacent.

The people who were impacted disclosed that some stands were offered for between $10 and $20 USD. These exchanges often included people wearing party uniforms, especially in the run-up to elections. Some even had City of Harare stamps on them.

Additionally, social media channels promoted stands, and unwary purchasers sometimes paid up to US$2,000.

A court order to destroy the 300 unauthorised constructions was obtained by UFIC on September 19, 2022; the case is lodged under the number HC3515/21.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

For the purpose of home constructions, UFIC congregations had been given access to a section of the property under the Operation Nehemiah home Project.

NewsDay was told by Prime Kufakunesu, a UFIC spokeswoman, that the settlers had received many notifications. “We got a court order, but Father Makandiwa gave the settlers a break in December because he was worried the rainy season would damage their property,” Kufanesu said. “The people continued to live on the property despite being told multiple times that the land belonged to UFIC.”

The area was designated for a church, residential stands, and an orphanage, Kufakunesu continued. On the site, plans call for the development of more than 500 homes, apartments, and single-family homes.

Aside from these developments, property barons were said to have sold stands on nearby land set aside for a railway line in advance of the harmonised elections scheduled for 23 and 24 August.

For Feedback and Comments Please Contact Us On WhatsApp: +27 82 836 5828
Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.
Join Our WhatsApp Channel - https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VayakkT60eBljXo25N2V

For comments, Feedback and Opinions do get in touch with our editor on WhatsApp: +44 7949 297606.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Catch More Updates Below

Zimbabwe Politics

ZANU PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa has revealed that the ruling party intends to use its upcoming annual conference to officially approve the extension of...

LOCAL NEWS

Two well-known Zanu PF land barons, Godhati Dunira (57) and Ephraim Gwanongodza (59) — masterminds behind the development of Victoria Ranch, Masvingo’s largest and...

Zimbabwe Politics

Harare, Zimbabwe – Tendai Biti, a prominent constitutional lawyer and former Finance Minister in the inclusive Government of National Unity (GNU), has launched a...

Zimbabwe Politics

In a move believed by some political observers to be aimed at preventing the contentious co-option of prominent businessman and ZANU PF financier Kudakwashe...

LOCAL NEWS

Zanu PF member and losing candidate for the Chinhoyi parliamentary seat in the August 2023 elections, Thomas Chidzomba, could be arrested for assault following...

LOCAL NEWS

The revolutionary party, ZANU PF, has reiterated that anyone — including businessmen such as Dr. Kudakwashe Tagwirei — is welcome to join the party,...

LOCAL NEWS

The political ascent of businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei within ZANU PF has taken a decisive turn, with the Harare provincial executive recommending his co-option into...

LOCAL NEWS

Factionalism within Zanu PF is intensifying as more expulsions are expected following recommendations from several provinces to the party’s national disciplinary committee, identifying members...

Advertisement