Illegal settlements have come back to haunt Zanu PF as it has emerged that the party encouraged their construction in the run-up to the July 31 elections to win support.
BY MOSES MATENGA
Investigations by NewsDay yesterday showed that Zanu PF supporters were the main beneficiaries of several illegal housing projects within Greater Harare and demolishing them would be betrayal on their part.
Local Government minister and Zanu PF secretary for land Ignatius Chombo on Thursday warned that all illegal structures will be demolished.
He set up a team to probe how thousands of people got stands in Chitungwiza .
In Mufakose, it emerged that more than five housing co-operatives were granted authority by the Zanu PF leadership to build on illegal space. Council yesterday also conceded that most co-operatives were abused by Zanu PF and were allowed to build illegal structures.
Zanu PF supporters who spoke to NewsDay said they would approach Chombo’s office with papers and minutes as proof of how they sought authority from the party and were granted.
“We have all the papers from the party for us to build here and though council says it’s illegal,the party has to defend us, not to threaten us with the demolition of what we have built,” said a Zanu PF supporter at an illegal settlement in Mufakose.
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Council Housing and Community Development chairman Charles Nyatsuro said Zanu PF was responsible for the dishing out of land on illegal space, but said it was good the minister had seen the light.
“We are fully behind the minister on this one. All illegal structures must be demolished. Most of the co-operatives were brought about by politicians and they have to be removed,” said Nyatsuro.
“Other structures were regularised by council, but obviously those on wetlands and not on the planning list are illegal and must be removed.”
But the beneficiaries of Zanu PF-aligned co-operatives like Joshua Nkomo Housing Co-operative, Leopold Takawira Housing Co-operative, Parkview Housing Pay Scheme and several others vowed to continue building as they had been given the green light by their party.
When NewsDay visited these co-operatives, there were Zanu PF flags at different sites, an indication that they had the full blessings from the ruling party.
Party sources said that Zanu PF hinged its electoral strategy in Harare by promising people land in Harare North through the setting up of Harare North Housing Union, where the party gave out 300-sqm stands to hundreds of people in need.
In Harare South, a lot of illegal structures were erected and these are credited for the party’s victory. In Chitungwiza, senior council officials said the Nyatsime Housing Co-operative for example, had become a thorn in the flesh because those illegally settled there have letters from Zanu PF authorising them to go ahead with their projects.
But residents had different views on how to proceed with illegal structures saying a proper probe should be instituted on how the structures were erected.
“People should be asked how they got the land to build on illegal structures and they (government) should also consider the investment people had made on their residential stands,” said Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) chairman Simbarashe Moyo.
“These came through corruption and desperation. People were so desperate and fell for anything.”
