ZANU PF supporters in Harare’s Caledonia settlement have reportedly repossessed residential stands acquired by domestic workers accusing them of supporting the main opposition MDC-T.
BY MOSES MATENGA
Hardlife Chitete, chairman of the Eastdale Heights Housing Co-operative whose membership is predominantly made up of domestic workers, told NewsDay last week that ruling party youths had hoisted their party flags at some of the stands and vowed to stay put claiming all the land in the area belonged to Zanu PF.
“We run a registered co-operative called Eastdale Heights. We followed all processes to register the co-operative. The problem now is we can’t access the land because it was invaded,” Chitete said.
“That is where our issue is. The problem is where will we go if this persists? Those invading are Zanu PF youths because they erect party flags whenever they do that. They say they are the ruling party and now are erecting cabins on the land.”
He said they had reported the matter at Mabvuku and Tafara police stations, but to no avail. The co-operative, according to Chitete, has more than 320 members.
Zanu PF Harare provincial chairman Godwills Masimirembwa could not be reached for comment over the allegations yesterday as his mobile phone was continuously on voicemail.
Meanwhile, Harare City Council has advised residents of Caledonia Housing Estate who missed the initial registration exercise that they will have another chance to register.
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The local authority says it wants to take over the land and formally include the settlement into the city’s master plan.
“There will be a second round of registration on June 2 and 3. Phase 1 to 9 is on June, 2 2015 while Phase 10 to 20 is on June 3, 2015. All stand owners who missed the first registration should be on their stands at the above dates. They should have with them their national identity cards and any proof of allocation,” said the city council in a statement last Friday.
“Residents are also urged to comply with directives banning construction on wetlands, school, business and recreational sites. All new land occupations that took place after the first registration exercise will not be recognised. Any such developments will call for the intervention of law enforcement agents.”
