…FLOAAI defies High Court order, continues selling undeveloped land
…As Chiredzi Rural District Council moves to nullify development contract with FLOAAI
Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI-Teachers affiliated to teacher union Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) were recently at loggerheads with Full Life Open Arms Africa Investment (FLOAAI), a land developer in Chiredzi who they accused of illicitly selling tracts of undeveloped land without prior knowledge of the beneficiaries, Chiredzi Town and Rural District Councils.
The sales are allegedly continuing despite Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association’s High Court order to stop them from selling the land.
Last weekend, more than 200 teachers from Zaka, Mwenezi and Gutu stormed FLOAAI offices at Croco Motors here to be shown their stands, which was manually done without proper documentation indicating stand number and name of the bearer, like what local authorities do by giving offer letters.
Chiredzi Rural District Council (CRDC), together with Chiredzi West Member of Parliament Farai Musikavanhu have been at loggerheads with FLOAAI Director Pastor Godfrey Nelson Madanyaya over corruption involving the development and sale of the 750 ha.
Reports are that the local authority has taken a bold stance to terminate contractual agreements with FLOAAI after it breached their Memorandum of Agreement through a resolution passed from the last full council meeting held last week.
On April 27, Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association (CHIRRA) through their lawyers, Chadyiwa and Associates filed a Court Application for an interdict through the High Court of Masvingo to stop FLOAAI from selling the remainder of Buffalo Range unserviced stands.
FLOAAI is the First respondent while Chiredzi Town and Rural District Councils are second and third respondents respectively.
In their founding affidavit, CHIRRA Chairperson, Jonathan Muusha stated that the 1st respondent be interdicted from selling unserviced land on the 750 ha jointly owned by the two councils.
“To have the 1st Respondent interdicted from selling unserviced stands on a piece of land commonly called the 750 ha Buffalo Range project which was given to the 2nd and 3rd respondents by the government.
“I am advised, which advise I take to be correct that in terms of section 39 of the Regional Town and Country Planning Act, it is unlawful to enter into agreements of sale over unsubdivided and unserviced land,” read Muusha’s affidavit.
Emmanuel Matimba, another resident and member of CHIRRA stated in an affidavit that the land should be properly managed by the two local authorities in order to achieve the intended objective.
“I firmly believe that the Buffalo Range project, which has 750 hectares of unserviced land meant for the expansion, growth and development of the two local authorities should be properly managed and utilized so that its intended objective is achieved.
“The selling of unserviced stands on the project is both illegal and counter development. There is no guarantee that once the stands are sold, the developer will proceed to service the stands,” read Matimba’s affidavit.
Desperate Chiredzi home seekers are paying a non-refundable fee of US$ 50 whilst the stands are being sold at US$ 20.61 per m2. A deposit of US$ 1 500 is expected to be paid then the remaining can be paid as instalments.
Madanyaya’s list of beneficiaries have accrued to more than a thousand people, teachers excluded as they are contributing directly through the Governments Salary Service Bureau.
FLOAAI was in 2018 given the tender to do feasibility study and develop 750 hectares of land which is jointly owned by Chiredzi Rural District Council and Chiredzi Town Council earmarked for urban expansion.
This was done during a few months when the local authorities were run by special commissions appointed by Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo after the 2018 harmonized elections.
