Evictions worry MPs
MEMBERS of Parliament have expressed concern over demolitions of houses on illegally acquired land, and have called for restraint on the part of Government and relevant authorities to avoid disadvantaging the people.
This emerged last week when Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo appeared before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing chaired by Cde Miriam Chikukwa.
Minister Moyo was explaining the operations of the Urban Development Corporation (UDCORP) and the future of the organisation.
The Members of Parliament raised concern that some residents, especially from Harare South and Caledonia, had bought stands and developed them only to be evicted.
The legislators said it was disheartening that people were losing their properties and in some cases MPs had to intervene to save them.
Harare South legislator Cde Tongai Mnangagwa, who nearly broke down after giving an emotional account of what was happening in his constituency, said the situation required urgent redress.
“We as MPs are the most affected because the people whose houses are being demolished are from our constituencies,” he said. “They come to us for explanations and help and at times I have had to assist them reconstruct their houses using my own money.
“This is very disturbing and I spend sleepless nights worrying about this situation. In Harare South, people were told the land they have settled on belongs to CFI Holdings. Why is it that people get stands and stay there for long, nearly 15 years, only to be evicted for being illegal settlers?
“How does Government destroy houses? Why not identify the land to relocate the people rather than just demolishing their houses? Pressure is coming on us.”
Buhera South legislator Cde Joseph Chinotimba complained of corruption and urged Government to intervene to save people from being evicted or having their houses demolished.
Minister Moyo admitted there were some irregularities in the allocation of residential stands.
He said in some instances, there were double allocations and some aggrieved parties approached the courts and won their cases, leading to evictions.
“We have decided to stop evictions and exhaust all other available channels,” said Minister Moyo. There is corruption and we urge the victims to come and report,” he said.
“We have set up a committee which is headed by principal director Ms Erica Jones to look into those cases and we will table the report. We have to go and explain to our people. As MPs, we can start explaining from the same script that Government now needs to regularise.
“There are some cases where we cannot disadvantage people. We will treat this on a case-by-case basis.”
Some legislators felt that UDCORP had abdicated its mandate of assisting in the planning of settlements and was instead acting as a land developer.