No land for Zanu PF youths – mayor Fidze

Upenyu Chaota

MASVINGO – Masvingo city mayor Hubert Fidze said council has no land to spare for the Zanu PF youths to develop residential stands urging them to follow the same process by any other resident who dreams of owning a house in the ancient town.

This was after the Minister of local Government Saviour Kasukuwere is moving around towns distributing land to Zanu PF youths to develop residential stands, a move which was criticised by residents who have been for years on the waiting list to get residential stands.

Fidze said they do not have anything to do with the Zanu PF campaigning strategy and insisted that they will use the waiting list book when they are distributing residential stands.

“Zanu PF youths were promised land for residential stands across the country but here in Masvingo we have no land such party projects. We believe that land should not be distributed on partisan grounds and that we should be guided by the waiting list when distributing residential stands. There are no sacred cows and we insist that everyone should go through the proper channels when acquiring land,” said Fidze.

“The waiting list is ballooning because we do not have any land at the moment. Maybe Zanu PF has other means to get that land but, within our jurisdiction, we have no land,” he added.

Fidze castigated partisan distribution of land saying residents should have equal access regardless of their political affiliations.

“Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) controls the majority of councils and imagine what would have happened if they were to influence distribution of council resources on partisan line. We should be rational in all our decisions so that no one feels isolated. We should be guided by principles,” said Fidze.

Masvingo Zanu PF youth boss Nobert Ndaarombe, however, said they have already identified the piece of land they want to develop into residential stands and they will be launching the project any time soon.

“We are going to launch the project soon; other provinces have already launched and their papers are being processed,” said Ndaarombe.news