15 Zanu PF land barons arrested
HARARE – At least 15 Zanu PF aligned land barons were arrested in Harare yesterday for allegedly selling State and council land to unsuspecting home-seekers, pocketing thousands of dollars from the illicit deals.
The arrest follows a probe triggered by the mushrooming of illegal settlements across the capital. Police sources said the suspects were by last night still assisting with investigations and were expected to appear in court for initial remand on Saturday.
According to state media reports most of the suspects are from Harare South and allegedly aligned to former Zanu-PF Harare provincial youth chairman Godwin Gomwe, who is also appearing in court facing similar charges.
In the run-up to the 2013 elections most of the land barons were used by Zanu PF to buy votes from desperate home-seekers. But as the infighting and score settling festers in President Robert Mugabe’s party, the arrests are being seen in a political light.
Government on Thursday ordered police to arrest land barons, politicians and housing cooperative chairpersons who were illegally parcelling out land. Last week, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere said Government had noted that a number of land barons had emerged over time.
He said Government was now invoking the law and all the land barons who have been in the habit of stealing State land and selling it will be investigated.
“There is no one allowed to sell land, be it municipal land or State land without the consent let alone authorisation by the State or the councils,” said Minister Kasukuwere.
“So, all those who have been building illegally and have been paying to land barons must now know that it is illegal, it’s criminal and unacceptable.”
Minister Kasukuwere said over the past few months people have been abusing Zanu-PF’s name, using their positions in the party to carry out illegal activities.
He said Government had instructed police to carry out immediate investigations on a number of cases, which were already documented and known at Caledonia Farm and various other settlements within the City of Harare.
