×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

Storm over Manyame RDC land

Local News
Fungai Duri and wife Shelter claim the late Kuora village head Martin Kuora’s son, Kenneth, was blocking them from occupying a stand allocated to them by the council. Shelter alleged that Kuora hired bouncers to intimidate and block her family from occupying the piece of land.

BY TAFADZWA KACHIKO

A FAMILY in Murisa Phase 2, Manyame Rural District Council, has clashed with native inhabitants of the now urbanised Kuora Village over stand number 1065A allocated to it by the council after a series of relocations.

Fungai Duri and wife Shelter claim the late Kuora village head Martin Kuora’s son, Kenneth, was blocking them from occupying a stand allocated to them by the council. Shelter alleged that Kuora hired bouncers to intimidate and block her family from occupying the piece of land.

“Council gave us stand 1065A and Kuora hired bouncers to stop us from digging a well and build a toilet claiming that the area was Mai Hope’s field,” Shelter said.

“Surprisingly, he also said he had sold that piece of land and the new occupant was going to start construction. We had gathered money to build the main house, but we continue to be stopped and our lease is expiring this year.”

She said she had the legal papers which show that the stand was allocated to the Duri family.

“This continues to worry me because I pay rates every month,” Shelter said.

Kuora defended his actions arguing that the native occupant of the piece of land was supposed to be paid 25% before stands were allocated to people.

“As long as the natives have not benefited, whoever has council papers will not build a house,” he said.

“It is not fair that people just come and get pieces of land when the original occupant has not yet benefited. I am a Kuora villager, so I should benefit from my father’s land no matter someone was given a form by the council.

“So, we stopped Fungai and told him that he was not going to build a structure before Mai Hope gets her 25% benefit. We sat down with the council and it accepted that. This family does just not understand that. People should stop panicking and thinking that I am selling land.”

He claimed that he had already registered a complaint with Local Government minister July Moyo.

  • Follow us on Twitter @NewsDayZimbabwe