By Philemon Jambaya
A storm is brewing in Chitungwiza after ZANU PF youths took it upon themselves to parcel out land to home seekers in the dormitory town without council authority.
The city council is in a battle with ZANU PF activists led by Norman Nyafesa who is the youth chairperson in ward 1. Nyafesa is parcelling out stands illegally to other activists in his ward claiming to be implementing the ruling party’s ZimAsset programme.
He illegally allocated stands to people in an area located between Manyame Park Phase 4 and Manyame Park Phase 5. This area had been set aside for the construction of the local police station.
The Mayor of Chitungwiza Councillor Philip Mutoti confirmed that Nyafesa has been giving stands to people illegally. He added that the wayward councillor would soon have disciplinary proceedings instituted against him.
“We are aware that stands are being given to people in Manyame Park. Those doing so are doing it without authority and they are facing suspension. We are only waiting for the Town Clerk who returns to work on Thursday” Said Mutoti.
The stands are being parcelled out under the guise of implementing the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset) programme.
Asked about the legal implications he might face, Nyafesa professed total ignorance and instead accused the Mayor of frustrating the government’s economic policies.
“What I am doing is above board as I am implementing the ZimAsset programme. I don’t fear anyone as I am doing what is right. The municipality has failed to do this for years and it is my duty as a leader to provide accommodation to the suffering masses” said the militant leader.
But this harphazard allocation of stands has come into direct confrontation with the local police who have now pitched a tent in the area in order to prevent the activists from taking over the land that is earmarked for a police station.
Residents of Chitungwiza are of the view that Nyafesa might be another Jim Kunaka in the making and his wings should be clipped as soon as possible. Jim Kunaka is a ZANU PF activist who terrorised residents of Mbare for years until his recent fall from grace.
“The person you are talking about is the same person who terrorized people in 2008 and now he is selling stands without the authority of the city fathers. He is a Jim Kunaka in the making, his wings must be cut off before it is late” Said Samuel Chiraswa.
Despite the issue of illegal stands recurring in Chitungwiza, government seems to be folding its hands while chaos reins supreme making residents suspect that the issue of illegal land allocations has the blessing of powerful politicians in government.
Early in the year residents in various housing settlements had their houses demolished by the government after the government claimed that stands had been given illegally to these people. It is therefore surprising why government continues to fold its arms when ruling party youths are repeating the same thing.
