‘…elites buying council land for
sale at premium prices’
Tendai Mbede
CHIREDZI– Chiredzi residents have raised
alarm over the unfair distribution of stands by Chiredzi Town Council; saying
the distribution processes favor the elites, TellZim can report.
Chiredzi Town Council recently
held a 2021 budget highlight meeting at the council’s boardroom, where resident
association were invited to deliberate on the 2021 budget.
Speaking during the meeting,
Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association (CHIRRA) member, Lloyd Sithole
argued that there was need to formulate a policy guiding the distribution of
stands.
He said this will prevent the
creation of an empire by elites some of whom are in the habit of reselling the
same property at exorbitant figures to the next home seeker..
“There is need to formulate
a policy which guides on the distribution of stands. The rich guys are
benefitting more than the general residents, who will later sell the same stand
which he/she was sold at a reasonable price with an exaggerated figure,” said
Sithole
United Chiredzi Residents and
Ratepayers Association (UCHIRRA) advocacy officer Bernard Dhachi highlighted
the need to raise cession fee to punish those who just purchase land for resell
in a bid to end land corruption in Chiredzi.
“There is growing corruption on
stand purchases in our council. I suggest we raise cession fee to an amount
more than US$1 000 in 2021 to punish those who purchase stands for resell,”
said Dhachi.
Council was urged to consider all
its residents including those living with disabilities whenever resources are
being distributed.
There was gross corruption on the
newly developed Medium Density stands (Melbourne Park) as council officials and
councilors allegedly sold stands with US dollars before instructing the
beneficiary to pay a paltry RTGS$35 000.00 to the local authority after paying
an admission fee of US$4 500.00 which will be shared among the entire food
chain.
