News / National
Chitungwiza road turned into shop
21 Dec 2020 at 06:16hrs | Views
Corruption by MDC councillors and land barons in Chitungwiza continues unabated as another road in the town has been converted into a commercial stand, with construction of a shop set to begin today.
This has riled residents in Unit N, at Try Again Shops, who have been using the road for years.
The shocking news comes barely a month after the media exposed that owners of four houses in the same area, no longer have access to a road after land barons allocated a stand in the middle of the road leading up to their houses. Our news crew visited the area and observed that there is now gravel at the site, with digging of the foundation set to start today.
"We were shocked to see people pegging a stand and marking foundation lines on our road. The madness should stop. We will not fold our hands and see this madness going on," said one the residents who declined to be named.
In the same area, a self-styled prophet Mr Blessing Mutizwa is also at loggerheads with his neighbours whom he accuses of disturbing his peace over boundary issues. He has since filed reports with the President's Office, police and Chitungwiza Municipality, since people were engaging him for erecting a precast wall at land they argued was once their road.
"I am being persecuted by my neighbours, I even went to court with them and won the case, but they are still after me over boundary issues. I advised them that if they have any query, they should approach the local authority which allocated me the stand, but instead l have no peace with them," he said.
Mr Mutizwa said all council papers in his possession make him the rightful owner of the stand. Council has been struggling to address the issue decisively since July, with residents last week filing a petition to Harare Provincial Development Coordinator, Mr Tafadzwa Muguti.
Part of the petition shows that the local authority wrote to the residents in July 2020 saying they were investigating the matter, but have failed to respond five months later.
Interestingly, the residents are now after Mr Mutize who said they should deal directly with the council that allocated him the stand.
Chitungwiza Residents Trust director Ms Alice Kuveya recently blasted council for being involved in corrupt activities after allocating a stand in another road.
"Honestly, as residents we are tired of corrupt council officials. We are asking the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), and the Minister of Local Government and Public Works to take action now.
"As residents we will continue to fight for our properties. There is not going to be a stand in the middle of the road. The owner should go and get back his money," she said.
This has riled residents in Unit N, at Try Again Shops, who have been using the road for years.
The shocking news comes barely a month after the media exposed that owners of four houses in the same area, no longer have access to a road after land barons allocated a stand in the middle of the road leading up to their houses. Our news crew visited the area and observed that there is now gravel at the site, with digging of the foundation set to start today.
"We were shocked to see people pegging a stand and marking foundation lines on our road. The madness should stop. We will not fold our hands and see this madness going on," said one the residents who declined to be named.
In the same area, a self-styled prophet Mr Blessing Mutizwa is also at loggerheads with his neighbours whom he accuses of disturbing his peace over boundary issues. He has since filed reports with the President's Office, police and Chitungwiza Municipality, since people were engaging him for erecting a precast wall at land they argued was once their road.
"I am being persecuted by my neighbours, I even went to court with them and won the case, but they are still after me over boundary issues. I advised them that if they have any query, they should approach the local authority which allocated me the stand, but instead l have no peace with them," he said.
Part of the petition shows that the local authority wrote to the residents in July 2020 saying they were investigating the matter, but have failed to respond five months later.
Interestingly, the residents are now after Mr Mutize who said they should deal directly with the council that allocated him the stand.
Chitungwiza Residents Trust director Ms Alice Kuveya recently blasted council for being involved in corrupt activities after allocating a stand in another road.
"Honestly, as residents we are tired of corrupt council officials. We are asking the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), and the Minister of Local Government and Public Works to take action now.
"As residents we will continue to fight for our properties. There is not going to be a stand in the middle of the road. The owner should go and get back his money," she said.
Source - the herald
