Brighton Chiseva
ZAKA-Rural District Council (RDC) has given local village heads a five day ultimatum to stop illegal selling of land and to demolish all structures built on sold land to ground level or risk legal action being taken against them.
The village heads turned who into land barons have been selling land to unsuspecting land seekers in areas around Jerera Growth Point which is earmarked for expansion.
The local authority had failed to stop the illegal activity close to a decade with village heads cashing out from people who are avoiding buying residential stands in the growth point preferring the communal areas which are a walkable distance to the growth point.
Villagers have been reported to have joined their village heads in the deal and were selling their pieces of land to individuals.
In the letters seen by TellZim News dated October 2, 2023, signed by the local authority planning officer and addressed to several village heads around Jerera, council said it had the sole responsibility to sell land.
“Council notes with great concern that you are allocating residential stands within the Jerera District Service Centre gazzeted boundary which is the duty of the Local Authority. You are in violation of the Communal Land Act (20:04), Regional Town and Country Planning Act (29:12) Section 32 and 34, and Model building By-Laws Part 1section 5 and Part 2 section 23, 30
“You are therefore instructed to cease such practices and remove all structures of your clients and restore the ground to its original state within five days, failure to comply will result in council taking legal action,” reads the letter.
When consulted for comment Benjamin Village head Martin Benjamin said he could not comment and asked the reporter to leave him alone.
“I don’t have any comment for that, can you please leave me alone,” said Benjamin.
Recently Chief Ndanga born Wilson Makono and Zaka Central legislator who is also the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Lands and fisheries Davies Marapira commented on the issue of illegal selling of land saying perpetrators were going to face the wrath of the law.
Chief Ndanga said village heads were cashing in with prices having risen from around US$400 to US$1000.
“At first they were selling at round US$400 but because of demand, the prices have risen and recently I saw an advert advertising a piece of land being charged at US$1000,” said Ndanga.
Marapira warned sellers and recipients saying they were all breaking the law and both will be prosecuted.
“The land being sold belongs to the community who uses the land for growing crops and keeping their livestock for their livelihood. The law is clear on that, those who sold land will be prosecuted whilst for those who bought the land, ignorance has no defence,” said Marapira.
The issue is prevalent in villages Musiso, Mateko, Gwanya, Manyimo, Chipezeze, and Chidzurira among others.
