CHENGETAI ZVAUYA
Residents in Harare’s suburbs of Southerton and Rugare are up in arms with the Harare City Council (HCC) over the alleged “illegal” sale of land in the two suburbs.
At the centre of the storm are 70 residential stands in the Rugare worth US$1.4m. The residential stands measure 300 square metres each.
The residents have approached the Harare city council seeking clarity on the matter. Residents in Southerton are also pushing for the investigation of land purportedly sold illegally.
The residents are working with Southerton Constituency Development Trust, which is chaired by Andrew Makahamadze, who is also the shadow Zanu PF MP for the Constituency.
“We know that a lot has been happening about the sale of the land and open space in Southerton Constituency being approved by city councillors, the mayor and his team and council management team.
We want it to be investigated as there is a lot of anomalies and they made a lot of money out of the illegal sale of the land in the constituency,” Makahamadze said.
He said the construction of a private college in the constituency needed to be investigated as well.
The Southerton Constituency Development, an organisation that represents residents’ interests, wants the construction of the school in Beech, Jordan and Coleman roads to be halted.
The school is located in the New Southerton residential area next to Sally Mugabe Hospital.
“You will be aware that Southerton and Rugare suburbs do not have government or council secondary schools within the vicinity.
The building of a private school does not serve the community who are unlikely to be able to pay (the required) fees at such an institution.
“Against this background, there is the need for an affordable high school in the area. We write to register our community’s disagreement to the above arrangement,” Makahamadze said in a letter addressed to the Town Clerk of Harare.
The massive land scandal in Harare City has implicated former mayor Herbert Gomba and several other councillors including the town clerk Hosea Chisango who has since been suspended from work.
Southerton MP Peter Moyo told Business Times said land sales in his constituency were above board and approved by council.
Moyo accused a political nemesis of trying to gain political mileage.
Rugare falls under the Southerton constituency.
“My political opponent from Zanu PF is trying to raise corruption charges against me and my councillor Brian Matione that are nonexistent.
There are council permits and documents that have approved that land can be sold to individuals.
