A Zanu PF central committee member from Harare South has criticised Local Government minister Daniel Garwe, accusing him of bias against former legislator Shadreck Mashayamombe after he implicated him in the illegal occupation of Gilstone Farm.
During an address to residents last Wednesday, Garwe issued an ultimatum to illegal settlers at Gilstone Farm, giving them until this Wednesday to vacate or face law enforcement action.
He specifically accused Zanu PF youth provincial member Tapiwa Mabhiza and Crispen Magaya, a district official in Harare South, of illegally parcelling out state land. He also levelled the same accusation against Mashayamombe.
However, the central committee member—who requested anonymity for safety reasons—claimed that Garwe has exposed a personal bias against Mashayamombe, who they insist has no connection to the chaos at the farm.
“The whole Harare South constituency knows that Harare provincial deputy chairperson Ephraim Fundukwa was working with Mabhiza and Magaya to sell land to unsuspecting residents,” the central committee member said.
Efforts to obtain a comment from Fundukwa were unsuccessful as he did not answer his calls.
The source added that the trio was also working alongside Harare South MP Tyrmore Kanopula, Zvinavashe district vice-chair Sendani Chauke, youth chair Caston Malume, and the Zvinavashe district chairman.
“Mashayamombe is not part of this team, but out of his hatred for him, Garwe implicates him,” the committee member said. “We know Mashayamombe is the most popular politician in Harare South, and the temptation to drag his name into everything is high, but the truth is, he is not involved in the illegal sale of state land at Gilstone. It is Fundukwa and his team who are robbing residents”.
The friction between the two men is not new. Earlier this year, Garwe labelled Mashayamombe a “land baron” during a dispute over a plot in Newlands, Harare.
That conflict led to the arrests of Mashayamombe, Harare mayor Jacob Mafume, and deputy mayor Rosemary Muronda. It later emerged that Garwe was at the heart of the dispute after he ordered the transfer of the Newlands land to Logara Properties, instructing the Harare City Council to defy a High Court order acknowledging the land belonged to four other companies.
The land had already been allocated to several firms, including Clean Burn Energy, owned by Mashayamombe. Garwe was eventually forced to retreat, and the council proceeded to write lease agreements for the companies.
“I think since then, Garwe has had a bone to chew with Mashayamombe,” a Zanu PF provincial member observed.
When approached for comment, Mashayamombe refused to discuss the matter at length.
“You should go and ask the minister where he got the information that I am selling residential stands at Gilstone Farm,” he said.
Land remains a high-stakes issue for Zanu PF in Harare South, which was the first urban constituency the party won following the formation of the Movement for Democratic Change.