Garwe talks tough on illegal land deals

MARONDERA- The provincial chairman of Zanu PF Daniel Garwe has once again warned people who are abusing the party’s name in illegal land dealings to stop their shenanigans.

The culprits who sell land to unsuspecting desperate home seekers were warned that they will be arrested, regardless of their standing in the party.

Garwe said this when he addressed thousands of the party’s supporters at a by-election campaign rally held in Caledonia, Goromonzi district last week.

His remarks and stern warning followed an outcry from party supporters who alleged that there are space barons who are collecting money from vendors across Caledonia daily using the party’s name while others were in the habit of name dropping to justify their illegal selling of State land.

“This is not my first time saying this and please, can you listen attentively to what I am going to say again here. Anyone who will be caught illegally selling or parceling out land will be arrested and brought to court to face justice. Once convicted, they will be taken to where they belong – Chikurubi – and that is for a fact.

“Let me warn those that are reported to have been doing this all along. You are going to be arrested and there are cases that are already under investigation. To those who have been planning to illegally sell land or those that have targeted some areas to do the same, you simply have to stop it forthwith because no one is immune to the law, said the provincial chairman, who is also the Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities.

“Going forward, no vendor or any home seeker will pay any fee to the land barons. Those land barons, some of whom instill fear in you pretending to be a law unto themselves are not the owners of this land. We will be sending a team here to investigate how much was collected by land barons over the years and what it was used for,” Garwe thundered.

He reminded the Caledonia residents that they will be given their title deeds by President Emmerson Mnangagwa as was promised last year.

“You will definitely be given the title deeds to the land that you are staying on as was promised by President Mnangagwa. The Government aims to see everyone living in formal settlements that have all requisite amenities and infrastructure,” said the Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities.

Shifting his speech to the forthcoming by-elections, the Zanu PF provincial chairman said every party member must roll their sleeves and campaign extensively for the revolutionary party to record resounding victories in Goromonzi South and Seke constituency seats.

“All of us here are campaign managers for our party’s candidates for the Seke and Goromonzi South constituencies. Let’s up our game and lure more voters for the party. Our women party supporters are good campaigners and that is on record. The same goes for our youth wing which is very vibrant. Let’s go on the ground, reach out all corners of these constituencies and ensure that after the by-elections, we reclaim these from the opposition.

“Regardless of whether the opposition likes it or not, Zanu PF is going to win in Goromonzi South and Seke constituencies. We are a people’s party with the interests of the people at heart and I am optimistic of a resounding victory for Zanu PF in these by-election. In everything that we do during this campaign period, discipline and unity of purpose will be key. Squabbles amongst ourselves take us nowhere,” he said.

The Zanu PF Mashonaland East Women’s League chairperson Aplonia Munzverengwi, speaking at the same campaign rally, said the party needs people who bring more people to it and not those whose conduct dishearten potential members.

She also castigated those who are collecting money from vendors and residents saying such conduct is chasing away people from the party.

“What we want as a party are people whose behaviour helps to attract more supporters and you must be examples for that. We don’t have room for people whose actions make people think ill of the party. It is now time up for those who have been swindling you of your money through illegal land deals. Those are the same people whose behaviour take marks off the party,” Munzverengwi said.