Chitungwiza residents trust a thorn in my flesh

As a concerned citizen and resident, I have been monitoring events in Chitungwiza with a keen interest, following the appointment, by the deputy Minister of local government, Public works and national housing, Joel Biggie Matiza, of a probe team whose mandate has been to unravel the land scandal in this dormitory town. I have also observed in utter dismay, how a bunch of hypocrites and opportunists calling themselves "Chitrest" have been all over the place lambasting the committee before it had even published its findings and recommendations.

For the benefit of residents, I intend to expose these self-appointed advocates of residents rights for what they really are and do hereby feel duty bound to highlight the fact that Chitungwiza residents Trust, "Chitrest" is comprised of former councilors who were expelled from MDC-T following the publication of a report by a probe team led by Deputy Secretary General and renowned economist, Dr Tapiwa Mashkada,that implicated them in a massive land theft in 2010.The Mashakada report gave a chilling account of how these councilors, in connivance with the management team led by former Town Clerk Godfrey Tanyanyiwa subdivided vast tracks of council land and sold it at exorbitant prices at the black market as residential stands, at the expense of the cash stripped Municipality. The official price of a stand was at that time pegged at US$200 and what this means is that for every residential stand that was sold at around US$4 000 – US$5 000, only US$200 went to council coffers whilst the remainder was pocketed by these land barons, who now shamelessly purport to represent the interest of residents and ratepayers of Chitungwiza.

Former councils Brighton Mazhindu, Tinashe Kazuru and Jacob Rukweza, who now masquerade as a resident association under the banner of Chitrest cannot be disassociated from the land messy nad financial crisis that Chitungwiza Municipality finds itself in today. They were conspicuous about their silence when Tanyanyiwa was running down council and as such, vices like the non –payment of salaries and poor service delivery were a permanent feature of the municipality during their tenure as councilors. For them to suddenly turn around, make a lot of noise and purport to be the voice of residents is the stuff that hypocrites are made of.

The recently published report by a probe team appointed by Deputy Minister, Matiza, has vindicated Mashakada report and these councilors who now masquerade as messiahs of the people of Chitungwiza also feature significantly as part of a clique of land barons who pocketed huge amounts of cash after converting wetlands, football grounds as well as council land previously reserved for schools, churches and crèches into residential stands, and in the process fleeced unsuspecting residents and desperate home seekers of their hard earned monies .These residents invested a lot on their properties, built mansions, but they now run the risk of having their properties demolished as recommended by the Matiza probe team. No sane person would support the idea that someone's property be demolished, without provision for alternative accommodation, but what some of us find extremely objectionable is the fact that unscrupulous land dealers who abused their offices as councilors and illegally doled out huge chunks of land on prohibited spaces are not ashamed of their evil and have even the audacity to hijack the anti-demolitions campaign, that has gained momentum across the political divide and in most civic society organizations for their own selfish interest. There sincerity and their genuineness is highly questionable, and one can be forgiven to interpret Chitrest antics as a desperate attempt to cover their tracks, divert people's attention from their criminal activities and protect their ill-gotten wealth .Is this given the history of Chitrest executive members, also not a well calculated ploy to salvage their waning political fortunes, to gain sympathy from the international donor community and secure funds?

Chitrest Director, Marvelous Khumalo reportedly abandoned the people during his term of office as MP for St Mary's constituency, at a time when the sewage infested and poverty stricken constituency needed him most. For a person who deserted the people of St Mary's in their hour of need to now suddenly turn around and purport to represent residents under the auspices of "Chitrest" is an insult to the collective intelligence of the people of Chitungwiza.Khumalo faced charges of allegedly misusing the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), was arrested for the offence and had only his gods to thank when government sponsored probe into the CDF scandal was suspended under mysterious circumstances. Given this shady past, is it not suicidal for the Chitungwiza residents to entrust their hopes to such a personality." Chitrest has reportedly been soliciting funds from Western Embassies, to finance their operations but one would, in extreme frankness, wonder if these funds would not be abused in an organisation whose Director was once hauled before courts for allegedly diverting the Constituency Development Fund to his personal use with aid of these councilors who were in his constituency.

It is against this Background that it has been argued in some circles that "Chitrest" are the least qualified to speak, let alone comment on the land Messy that Chitungwiza has become known for. This dormitory town is virtually on its knees to such an extent that the struggle to restore order and normalcy require men and women whose moral standing is beyond reproach. It is also my humble submission that "Chitrest" will be found wanting in this regard.