Local Government and Public Works minister Daniel Garwe has dismissed allegations linking him to land negotiations between Harare City Council and Logara Properties.
Speaking to journalists in Harare yesterday, Garwe explained that in 2019, Logara approached the Forestry Commission to develop townhouses overlooking a small stream on land situated between a Forestry Commission property and Logara’s land.
The land dispute led to the arrests of Harare deputy mayor Rosemary Muronda and former Harare South MP Shadreck Mashayamombe. The arrests followed claims by Marvis Java to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) that she had been sold a non-existent commercial stand in Newlands. Muronda and Mashayamombe were granted US$500 bail last Friday and Java has since withdrawn the charges.
The land in question covers approximately 17 to 20 hectares and is owned by a private company called Logara.
“These 17 hectares are owned by a company called Logara. It's a private company. They then approached the City of Harare in 2019 and said, we want to do a development of townhouses overlooking the small stream that is between Forestry Commission and that piece of land,” Garwe said.
He added that the project also included a proposed road from the ED Mnangagwa Road roundabout to Borrowdale Road, aimed at easing traffic congestion on Churchill Road. “Council in principle agreed, but the matter now lies with council for final approval,” he said.
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He said 12 senior government officials and council representatives engaged in discussions during which four separate companies were allegedly created.
He noted that council land cannot be acquired without community consultation, which was carried out during the negotiations.
Garwe also revealed that Logara has offered to develop an additional portion of land without compensation in exchange for a 2,5-hectare parcel, to allow for uniform development.
“We are going to construct another highway, which means he didn't have a road to follow. We will not ask for payment from the State authorities. It will be compensation for the 2,5 hectares that we want them to surrender to us, so that we have a uniform development. This has been understood,” he said.