SUSPENDED Chitungwiza Zanu PF councillor Frederick Mabamba, who has been fingered in a massive land scam involving illegal acquisition and sale of residential stands and has reportedly been suspended from council, on Monday said he was yet to receive his suspension letter from Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo.
BY EVERSON MUSHAVA
Last month, Chombo appointed a probe team led by Local Government deputy minister Joel Biggie Matiza to investigate shady land deals in Seke and Chitungwiza where Mabamba’s name featured prominently.
“As of now, I have not received the letter (of suspension). I can only comment when I receive the letter. Maybe the minister communicated with the mayor,” Mabamba said.
However, Chitungwiza mayor Phillip Mutoti yesterday also said he had not received any official communication regarding the Zanu PF ward 25 councillor’s suspension. “I am yet to see the Mabamba suspension letter,” Mutoti said.
According to Chombo’s letter to Mabamba, the decision to suspend him was reached following an investigation into illegal land dealings in Chitungwiza. Matiza yesterday said the findings of the investigation had already been submitted to Chombo and would be made public soon.
“The report is now with the minister. We have done our work. Minister Chombo will soon unveil the findings,” Matiza said.
Chombo reportedly said investigations carried out found Mabamba guilty of illegal land allocations in Chitungwiza.
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“Pursuant to the deployment of an investigation team to look into allegations of illegal disposal of land in Chitungwiza Municipality and Seke District, I hereby in terms of Section 114(1)(d)(ii) of the Urban Councils Act Chapter 29:15 suspend you from the office of councillor of ward 25 with immediate effect for your involvement in the alleged illicit land allocations,” reads part of the letter.
Mabamba has been barred from doing any council work during his suspension while Chombo’s office was preparing charges to be preferred against the Zanu PF councillor. Last month, NewsDay revealed that Mabamba runs several private schools in the town and controls vast swathes of land, although the councillor claimed to have acquired the properties procedurally.
He also claimed the properties were not his personally, but belonged to his co-operative.
