Over an estimated 800 families on an 800 hectare farm called Warwick in Harare near Lake Chivero have lived under threat of possible aggressive unconstitutional evictions since 2019.
The farm was constitutionally gazette on September 1, 2000.
What could be the reason why Nicholas Nyandoro , a Zimbabwean based in Canada as permanent resident wish to unsettle so many families?
The land reform programmes was put in place under provisions of the constitution.
Sections 72[4] and 290 legally bind to protect Zimbabweans who got land under the land reform programme. Nyandoro argues that he got Warwick farm in 2003 yet the farm had already been gazetted and occupied by many families who up to this day have no initial offer letters provided by Zvimba council.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa must bring sanity by using his political known muscles in-order to control a number of illegal land mess-ups, which have over years trampled down communities. To show his resilience against his party people’s mischief, the president must make use of the Presidential Powers [Temporary Measures] Act.
Besides, the launched presidential tittle deeds and settlements regulation programme must come to the rescue of such disadvantaged people.
It is class struggle to note that Nyandoro obtained land for personal gain by battling thousands of people.
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To a great thinker like post-humus Karl Marx,this is class struggle and cause of uprisings.
Marx’s theory supports the poor whom he wrote are exploited under capitalistic principles by the rich.
Class struggle is friction between the rich and the poor, a battle for superiority, wealth accumulation and leadership.
It is controversial to note that there is still tug of war in Zanu PF land allocation and acquisition.
This system concludes controversy. The land reform was agreed by the party yet there are some people who try by all means to bring it down through political powers and muscles.
It is controversial to note that there is confusion over who owns land where and how that land was acquired.
This tells more of corruption in the whole land allocation.
There is no doubt that grant corruption is rampart in party structures.
How then did Nyandoro get those powers to own gazetted land.
In 2013 he was guaranteed legal powers by the High Court to take possession of state land under 99 year-lease agreement.
In 2019 he vehemently started to work against massive evictions furling anger in the first blown wind of evictions.
That same year Douglas Mombeshora the then Land and Agriculture minister ordered the Zvimba office to give offer letters to the families who got land in Warwick , alas , nothing popped out.
This tells more of corruption, which affected many families who unto this era seek legal aid.
These families have consulted courts several times and up to now they are being rotated on a case without judgment.
The voice of the President walloped in the air blaming land barons, who cause evictions.
In the past they cause vulnerable evictions and demolitions.
It is imperative to push law makers and policy makers to come up with legally binding frame-works, strategies and home – made solutions to curb corruption of land barons, to caution avarice of developers who gain at the expense of millions who need somewhere to settle and rest.
The voice of the president must die-down the Lake Chibero land conflict with immediate effect.
Those against Warwick landless people must be admonished and be warned that the land policy settled those people constitutionally. It is compulsive then to move out private ownership of land that is stately-owned. Instead of these families to move all around seeking legal protection, the government must come in-between and take cover of those settled constitutionally.
If the government keeps quite as this rages on it means then there is infidelity and total lack of confidence of the state to its own people. It means then that the ruling party has lost favour of its own people.
Quick action is less costly to the people. Once this is quickly solved then confidence would be instilled in investors, new developers towards perfection and to millions of those urban people who want to buy stands and settle down.
There is much , vast surrounding idle land under-utilised, lying barely idle without any production on it, land that has lasted years denudated by sand poachers, environmental degraders and used for shady deals.
Government has power over land idle or not because those people got it free of charge. There is land that belongs to genuine buyers and that which is 99-year lease state land.
Harare city council owns vast tracts of land like in a highly populated area called Consortium in Harare south west.
It was interesting to hear that those who bought stands from shady –dealers will deal with the city council rather than disadvantage being chased away.
This is such peaceful with some organisedareas but this must be equally applied to all areas. Therefore, an active land committee comprising of independent persons, political parties, government and council is such important. This brings inclusivity, equality and perfect development.
As urban settlements expand outside boundaries demarcated during the white rule in what was called Rhodesia government, councils must stand on the side of the people.
This weaves a bond of human rights. Citizens and human rights organisations must come out of the ground to protrude so as to protect people. A number of these must work with the government and civil society organisations like the Community Water Trust, Combined Harare residents association and non- governmental organizations.
Developers forget and profess ignorance at the same time have no knowledge about environmental issues, which have devastated many urban areas.
Developing small or big stands connected to sewer system is a danger to Lake Chivero.
To those who will track down into far fetching readership, there will be development ofother articles which will focus on the dangers posed to Lake Chivero right now.
There is nodal-nexus between Lake Chivero and the environment.
There are a number of dangers which this writer will explore in the next purplepassages.
Urban development like in big cities, Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Masvingo and Victoria Falls must be strictly controlled so as to avoid a number of environmental challenges.
There are hazards which are likely to affect urban water and its people. Millions of people rely on the source of Lake Chivero in Harare for water.
If residential stands are packed in areas like Harare south-west and very close to HunyaniRiver then pollution will affects millions of families in Norton and Harare west.
If pollution is controlled then it means families of Harare will never be affected,
They have human rights as well because they are people who must live in good health.
There is need to fight against communicable diseases like typhoid and cholera.
There is danger if lake remains polluted.
A flow of possible solutions will save millions of people before danger comes. It is there-fore an issue of human rights practice.
Land belongs to us all ande it must be managed in a well proper manner.
*Nevison Mpofu is aulti-awarded Journalist. He is ateacher anddevelopment enthusiast.nmnevsonmpofu755@gmail.com
These weekly articles are coordinated by LovemoreKadenge,an independent consultant, managing consultant of Zawale Consultant (Private) Limited, past president of the Zimbabwe Economics Society and past president of the Chartered Governance & Accountancy Institute in Zimbabwe. Email – kadenge.zes@gmail.com or Mobile No. +263 772 382 852
