Ward 16 land barons are name droppers: Mhembere

ZANU PF aspiring councillor for Mabelreign ward 16 Arnold Kudakwashe Mhembere has said people who are grabbing land in the area are name-droppers who masquerade as party members.

There have been reports of land barons, purportedly linked to Zanu PF, accused of wreaking havoc in Harare while grabbing land amid allegations that the ruling party was stepping up efforts to win the February 3 byelections using the illegal stands.

illegal land invasions in Ward 16 have been reported in Mabelreign including Greenways of Haig Park, Meyrick Park, St Andrews Park, cotswold Hills and Greencroft.

Mhembere will be contesting in the February 3 by-elections to fill the council seat left vacant following the recall of opposition citizens coalition for change (ccc)’s Denford Ngadziore by self-proclaimed interim secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu.

He has accused the ccc-led council of parcelling out land without following procedure.

“i have noted with concern the mushrooming of land barons illegally invading land in ward 16 particularly Haig Park and cotswold Hills. information from State lands department and council indicate that no one was allocated that land.

“The people who are grabbing the land and are not residents of ward 16 are just name-droppers who masquerade as Zanu PF members.

“let me reiterate that these criminals are not Zanu PF or whoever they purport to be and Zanu PF has nothing to do with them. i am also alive to the fact that the ccc-led council is parcelling out land without following proper procedures.”

Mhembere called on residents to report the land barons and stop any unprocedural development in the area.

“As the aspiring councillor for ward 16, i stand for orderly settlement and as such i will ensure that with the aid of law enforcement agents and authorities these criminal elements are brought to book without fear or favour,” he said.

in an unprecedented move, Zanu PF issued a statement disowning some of its officials who were behind the invasion of farms, especially in urban areas where they sold housing stands.

Police have been arresting the suspected land barons after the government in November last year denounced the new wave of farm invasions.

Suspended Zanu PF Mutare district co-ordinating committee chairperson Binali Yard and some members of his committee spent the christmas holiday behind bars for selling land in Mutare’s Gimboki area.