SOME Chitungwiza residents have accused the local residents’ association of corruption and that its members were now seeking relevance by protecting their ill- gotten properties.
BY MOSES MATENGA STAFF REPORTER
Residents told Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo last week that they had problems with some members of the Chitungwiza Residents’ Trust (Chitrest), most of whom were former councillors in the town.
The residents said the former councillors were now seeking relevance through the residents’ association after being accused of corruption.
The group comprises of former St Mary’s MP Marvelous Khumalo, ex-Chitungwiza councillors Jacob Rukweza, Brighton Mazhindu and Tinashe Kazuru.
Khumalo was implicated in the abuse of his $50 000 Constituency Development Fund allocation during the last Seventh Parliamentary session while the councillors were fired by the MDC-T on allegations of corruption by illegally selling land to residents.
“There is a residents’ association that is made up of thieves. They stole from us when they were councillors and MPs and now they want to come as a residents’ association,” one of the residents said during a meeting with Minister of Environment, Water and Climate Saviour Kasukuwere, Chombo and his deputy Joel Biggie Matiza.
Small to Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development minister Sithembiso Nyoni also attended the meeting. Chombo blamed the residents for choosing corrupt councillors hence they were having a taste of their own medicine. But Chitrest, which is challenging demolition of houses in Chitungwiza, said it was unfortunate that the residents aligned to Zanu PF were eager to drag them into the mud. The trust said no amount of political pressure would stop them from challenging the impending illegal demolitions.
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“It’s unfortunate that some residents from the ruling party who are bent on protecting their masters who are fingered in the land scam are now being sent to drag other people and entities that are fighting corrupt and illegal land sales in Chitungwiza,” Chitrest said in response to questions from NewsDay.
“A land audit report produced by the Ronald Chimowa-led team cites a number of well-known people, mostly politicians, as land barons. These are acts of a misinformed few,” the Trust said.
Chitrest has been undertaking several projects for and on behalf of residents and was taking government to court in a bid to stop demolitions threatened by government in three weeks’ time.
Meanwhile, residents questioned the legality of Chombo’s directive saying it was an act of mischief considering that the matter was before the courts.
“The directive by Chombo that the illegal houses be demolished in the next twenty-one (21) days is null, void and prejudicial since the matters are before the courts,” the residents said.
Chitrest was not taking these threats lightly and would soon be taking appropriate actions against Chombo’s utterances after consulting its lawyers. “No amount of threats, be it political or otherwise, will derail Chitrest in its efforts to lawfully defend the lifetime investments of the residents of Chitungwiza and Manyame Rural, in this case building houses,” the association said.
