Kasukuwere reads riot act to mayor

Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere has lashed out at MDC-T-dominated Masvingo City Council for trying to block the allocation of housing stands to thousands of youths in the city under the ongoing national programme to offer young people affordable residential stands in cities and towns nationwide.

Minister Kasukuwere said attempts by the council led by Mayor Hubert Fidze to torpedo the youths housing programme was an indication of a policy dearth within MDC-T.

The reaction by Minister Kasukuwere comes in the wake of claims by the council led by Clr Fidze that the country's oldest town had run out of housing land.

Minister Kasukuwere said zanu-pf was the only party that delivered and accused Clr Fidze of trying to stop the mass empowerment of young people in Masvingo.

''I am surprised that (MDC-T Masvingo city Mayor Hubert) Fidze attacks such a policy where we want to offer young people cheap and affordable housing. He should know that zanu-pf is the only party that delivers. zanu-pf is known for delivering to the people,'' he said.

''We will not be stopped from giving our people without shelter land because all land is State land and we have already started the process of pegging stands that will soon be allocated to youths in Masvingo by thezanu-pf Government. The ground-breaking ceremony will be held soon.''

He said zanu-pf would deliver on its election promise to offer Zimbabweans, especially young people, affordable housing.

''The Masvingo provincial housing planning officer is busy on the ground pegging stands at Clipsham Farm and soon we will be conducting the ground-breaking ceremony. There is no going back on the allocation of housing stands to Zimbabweans. This is what zanu-pf has always done,'' said Minister Kasukuwere.

Pegging of plots for allocation to youths in Masvingo is underway at Clipsham Farm near the Masvingo-Beitbridge highway.

Clr Fidze dismissed allegations that his council was frustrating plans by Government to offer youths in Masvingo the stands.

''The truth of the matter is that as Masvingo City Council, we have run out of land for housing and we have already applied to Government for additional land and the response is still pending. As council, we are not against the Government programme to give youths land for housing. I was misquoted by some sections of the media,'' said Cllr Fidze.

Reports in a Masvingo regional paper recently claimed that Clr Fidze and his council had trampled upon the Government programme to allocate housing land to youths.

Minister Kasukuwere said Government wanted to ensure transparency in the allocation of urban land for housing saying land barons who corruptly acquired State land for resale would be severely punished.

Masvingo's housing backlog has been on a freefall over the past three years with the Masvingo housing consortium led by Wellington Mahwende credited withavailing stands in line with Government's economic blueprint Zim-Asset.