CHIEFS’ Council president Chief Fortune Charumbira has accused Zanu PF land barons of fuelling divisions within the ruling party and funding former Vice-President Joice Mujuru’s Gamatox faction using their ill-gotten cash.
BY MOSES MATENGA
Charumbira told NewsDay soon after the burial of Chief Chinamhora, born Simon Gandidzanwa, near Shamva yesterday that the Zanu PF leadership had just realised that most land barons and leaders of dubious housing co-operatives within its ranks were linked to the Mujuru camp, hence the current push to expose them.
“If you look at these co-operatives and land barons, you will know what I am saying and we will continue to fight against this. Some had dubious agendas, including Gamatox. They were fighting succession wars and raising money for their political agendas,” Charumbira alleged.
“State land can’t be given to an individual for free for commercial purposes. If you want a person to make a profit, you go to tender. People got land for agricultural purposes and if you move to commercial purposes, the true value should be raised.” He castigated land barons fleecing the poor of their hard-earned cash.
“Land for the poor should not be given to individuals. If it’s for the poor, the land should be given to people for free. What land barons are doing is exploiting the poor and enriching themselves. This differs from scheme of rich people. It is a negation of the land reform programme for someone to be given free land and sell that land and make money out of that,” he said.
“We have plenty of these land barons, in every town they are there.”
But Mujuru ally and People First spokesperson Rugare Gumbo refuted the claims saying he would not stoop so low to respond to “silly” allegations.
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“Who are the land barons who were linked to Mai Mujuru? I don’t think we need to stoop so low and to respond to what I consider silly suggestions. I would rather try and focus on major issues affecting the country,” he said.
Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere has vowed to flush out and expose land barons regardless of their party affiliation and ensure they are arrested.
