Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI – Chiredzi
District Lands Officer
Honest Mapfumo,
who reportedly testified to the
Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption
Commission (ZACC) against
corrupt land allocations in
Chiredzi, has been transferred to
the Agriculture ministry’s head
office, TellZim can report.
Attempts to reach Mapfumo for
a comment were futile as his
mobile phone was unreacheable.
However, a letter dated May
20 which was signed by
Secretary for Lands, Agriculture,
Fisheries, Water and Rural
Resettlement Dr John Bhasera
orders Mapfumo to begin his
new duties at the head office on
May 31 pending reassignment.
“The Ministry has received
reports concerning
administrative challenges on
your performance in Chiredzi
District, Masvingo Province.
“In light of this development,
I have decided that you be
recalled from Chiredzi District
Office and reassigned new duties
at Head Office in Harare. You aretherefore required to assume duty
in Harare with effect from 31 May
2021.
“Meanwhile, on receipt of this
minute, you are required to start
the handover-takeover of your
current duties and assignments
with the Member appointed by the
Acting Provincial Lands Officer,”
reads the letter.
Sources said Mapfumo was likely
to be demoted after his testimony
to Zacc implicated many powerful
politicians who then complained
about him to his Harare bosses.
A few months ago, ZACC visited
Chiredzi at the request by a young
farmer Tungamirai Rukatya who
complained that senior politicians
in the province had irregularly
taken ownership of his land and
shared it amongst themselves.
He also complained that another
piece of land owned by one Tony
Sapo, and which is protected
under a Bilateral Investment
Protection and Promotion
Agreement (Bippa) has also been
seized.
At a Zanu PF inter-district
meeting held at Chitsanga Hall a
few weeks ago, Zanu PF Chiredzi
District Coordinating Committee
(DCC) chairperson Siyaki
Mundungehama complained that
land was being allocated without
knowledge of the local Lands
office, and that the allocations
were largely benefitting non-locals.
Meanwhile, many Chiredzi
business people with political
connections are said to have
bought prime land near Chitsanga
Hills at give away prices.
