Kasukuwere, MDC-T team up against land barons

Government has roped in the Auditor-General's Office and the Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC-T party in a clean-up exercise to flush out land barons who had mushroomed in almost all local authorities where they illegally amassed vast tracts of land for resale to desperate home-seekers.

Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere yesterday confirmed the dragnet that could catch a number of high-profile politicians, including Cabinet ministers.
 
Meanwhile, although Zanu-PF made a significant comeback in the July 2013 general elections, capturing some urban constituencies, urban councils have largely remained under the control of the MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai.

According to Zanu-PF sources the move to split the rural portfolio from the ministry of Local Government is strategy meant to combine Saviour Kasukuwere's commissariat duties with local governance responsibilities to deliver Zanu-PF the elusive urban vote.

A preliminary plan of action, through which Zanu-PF aims to win urban votes, is being finalised by Kasukuwere's commissariat department.