…Former resolves to exonerate self from FLOAAI’s land development deal
By Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI-In a sudden twist of events, Chiredzi Rural District Council (CRDC) recently dropped a bombshell by dumping its partner, Chiredzi Town Council (CTC) in Madanyaya’s Full Life Open Arms Africa Investment (FLOAAI) land chaos on the remainder of 750 hectare Joint venture housing project. Chiredzi RDC cited some irregularities and breach of contract by the developer which the later seems to be okaying.
FLOAAI did a feasibility study for the 750 hectares on the remainder of Buffalo Range meant for urban expansion and was mandated to develop 350ha phase 1 and hand it over to Chiredzi Town and Rural District Councils, who are currently on a joint venture on the piece of land.
FLOAAI Director, Pastor Godfrey Nelson Madanyaya had allegedly seized the project and had been selling stands to desperate home seekers in Chiredzi. He is said to have threatened the councils by name dropping President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s name as well as Minister July Moyo to be the owners of the project, while allegedly defrauding people.
Madanyaya, whose list accrued to more than 1000 people including the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) affiliates, had been selling stands at the cost of US$20.61 per square meter, with one supposed to make a deposit of US$1500 and pay the remaining balance in instalments over a period of four years. A non-refundable fee of US$50 was required in order to open a file with FLOAAI.
FLOAAI even went on to physically show ZIMTA affiliates their stands, which they had been directly contributing to through the Salary Services Bureau (SSB) but were never given offer letters to indicate ownership of the stands.
Chiredzi Town Council (CTC) and Chiredzi Rural District Council (CRDC) through the Joint Venture Committee, reached a stalemate as the latter argued that they should terminate Madanyaya’s contract over several breaches while the former was in tandem with FLOAAI’s developments which led the latter to make a resolution to part ways with the developer and to share land, the remainder of 750ha of Buffalo range Housing Project equally.
Giving a presentation during a full council meeting recently, Alderman Mashulani, who is the Chairperson of the Roads and Planning Committee outlined that the committee had resolved to terminate contract with FLOAAI as well as Town council, and stand alone on developing the remainder of 750 ha of Buffalo Range Housing project.
“That Council terminates the contract with FLOAAI on the developments of the remainder of 750ha of Buffalo Range Housing project. That Chiredzi RDC and Town Council proceed with developments of the remainder of 750ha Buffalo Range Housing project separately. That Chiredzi RDC and Chiredzi Town Council proceed in developing the remainder of the 750ha Buffalo Range Housing Project on its own or to engage a new developer,” read Mashulani.
Efforts to get a comment from Madanyaya were futile as he was not answering his cell by time of getting to print.
The land in question was jointly awarded to Chiredzi Town Council and Chiredzi Rural District Council for the development of 750ha of Buffalo Range Housing Project. FLOAAI was engaged to develop this land; works including roads, water reticulation, sewer and registration of layout plans.
FLOAAI then managed to produce the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and were supposed to be giving reports every time to the joint venture committees which it failed. They also went on to borrow a loan from the bank and the councils were not aware of the amount borrowed from the bank.
The two councils are parting ways towards the development of the remainder of 750 ha Buffalo Range Housing project as Chiredzi Town Council is being blamed for delaying progress as they wanted to continue working with FLOAAI as their developer and they were not committed whenever a meeting was arranged as a joint committee.
