MASVINGO mayor Femius Chakabuda is under fire for allegedly illegally selling two of the five residential stands donated by a private property developer to a group of disabled people living in the town four years ago.
Report by Jairos Saunyama
The Masvingo-based Disability Amalgamation Community Trust (DACT) claimed Chakabuda sold the stands without its members’ consent and has since petitioned council’s housing director Levison Nzvura demanding the return of the stands.
The two stands — number 20885 and 20960 located in Runyararo South West suburb — have reportedly since been sold to other home-seekers.
Two members of the trust — Purazeni Jakata and Kurunzwira Tungamirai — said they received the five stands in Runyararo South West Suburb from a developer KMP during commemorations of the World Habitat Day in 2009. Both Jakata and Tungamirai said they had already paid administration and survey charges to the city council.
Part of the petition reads: “On World Habitat Day commemoration, 05 October 2009, Disability Amalgamation was allocated five residential stands in the above mentioned suburb by the director of KMP Mr A Maruni in response to a request made by People Living with Disabilities (PWDS) for Urban Habitation. The donation was done in the presence of the honourable mayor of Masvingo, and yourself as the housing director.
“On April 15, 2013, Mr Jakata P discovered that his stand was being developed by one Rev Ishemunyoro, who on being approached, claimed that he was allocated the stand from the office of the mayor and a Mr Mugwati is on the site doing the works.”
The petition added: “A visit to your Chesvingo Office confirmed that Mr Jakata P was indeed allocated stand 20885 and that administration fees were paid and a ledger control card is being kept by housing officer Mr Chirape. If all allocations are done through your office, is this normal that you may have two control cards for one stand that may result in double allocation?”
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DACT director Henry Chivhanga said council was struggling to resolve the matter.
Contacted for comment, Chakabuda confirmed the wrangle, but said the stands in question had been given to him as part of the Mayor’s Cheer Fund.
“I received five stands on that day from KMP donated to the Mayor’s Cheer Fund. Two of the stands I gave people living with disability, one went to a person living with albinism, the other one for a blind person and the one was given to a mentally-disturbed person.
“I also deny the allegations that the stands were resold to someone else. The stands were donated to me not the organisation,” he said.
However, KMP projects officer identified as Engineer Young yesterday insisted that his company donated the stands to the disabled people and not to the mayor’s office.
“Yes, the stands were given to people living with disability and the mayor was tasked to distribute them,” he said.
