Harare, Chitungwiza Councillors Face Arrest Over Residential Stands
The Permanent Secretary for Presidential Affairs and Devolution, Engineer Tafadzwa Muguti, has issued a stern warning to councillors in Harare, Chitungwiza, and several rural districts: stop abusing State land or risk spending the festive season behind bars.
Speaking at the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) conference in Bulawayo, Muguti said his office is deeply concerned by councillors who have turned into self-serving land barons. He accused them of illegally taking and selling State land under the guise of offering residential stands. Muguti didn’t mince his words. He said councillors were elected to protect public resources, but many are now acting like land invaders, using their positions for personal gain.
“We are aware that you have finished your master plans, but we are noticing a lot of councillors have become land barons; they are now leading land invasions in Chitungwiza, City of Harare, and some notable Rural District Councils (RDCs). Christmas might be very far for you,” said Muguti.
He accused some councillors of orchestrating land invasions in both Chitungwiza and Harare, saying they were deliberately breaking the law, then turning around and asking the government to legalise the chaos they created. Muguti said his office will no longer tolerate councillors who demand that illegally occupied land be ‘regularised’.
In a chilling warning, Muguti said some councillors could be arrested soon.
“We are not going to regularise, just because, as councillors, when you invade land, you then recommend where you invaded to be regularised, we are going to ask tough questions to your town clerks to justify regularisation. Every place where there is chaos, where you want to regularise, we want to hear a story behind a story, how did those people get there? I’m sorry, but most of the people will spend Christmas behind bars if this continues.”
Eng Muguti urged councillors to clean up their act and stop treating public office as a personal business venture.
“If you thought being a councillor is your fastest way to stay in low densities and to drive nice cars and start donating cars, you are lying to yourself. We are going to continue capacitating you and teaching you governance because that’s what you need,” he warned.
Follow Us on Google News for Immediate Updates
The post Harare, Chitungwiza Councillors Face Arrest Over Residential Stands appeared first on iHarare News.
