Uebert Angel's land development proposal raises stink in Chitungwiza

The attempt by controversial cleric Uebert Angel to acquire disused assets and land belonging to Chitungwiza municipality has sparked concerns, with allegations of unethical practices being directed at Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) council members.

Billion Group, a company purportedly associated with Angel, has submitted a proposal to Chitungwiza Municipality, seeking to obtain land and abandoned properties for the purpose of transforming them into a hotel, conference center, shopping mall, service station, and the construction of a medical facility.

The proposal is currently under review by Chitungwiza municipality, which will make the final decision regarding the proposed transaction.

This proposal has elicited apprehension among the residents of the town. Marvelous Khumalo, the director of Chitungwiza and Manyame Residents Association, has advised conducting thorough due diligence and refraining from pursuing self-serving deals.

"It is regrettable that Chitungwiza municipality continues to make negative headlines, particularly concerning the alleged corrupt allocation and mismanagement of land and the improper disposal of public assets. It is even more disconcerting that this recent alleged case involves a figure of the cloth, Prophet Uebert Angel.

"Recently, we witnessed Uebert Angel's prominent involvement in another alleged scandal known as the Gold Mafia. As residents, we question what a 'man of God' and his company can offer to a struggling municipality like Chitungwiza, other than potentially exploiting its limited land resources.

"We urge the council not to entertain these self-serving corrupt deals that seem to primarily benefit a select few with influential connections hiding behind religious roles, to the detriment of the town's millions of residents, ratepayers, and overall service quality," stated Khumalo.

Angel was previously embroiled in a corruption scandal earlier this year, exposed by Al Jazeera, which accused him of being at the center of money laundering activities, allegations he vehemently denied.

An official from Chitungwiza municipality commented that concerns about the proposal are premature, as the council has not yet made a decision.

"When a company or institution expresses interest, a council meeting is convened, and the company presents its proposal. It is not the responsibility of the council to investigate the company's background when expressing interest, as doing so would be discriminatory based on political affiliations. The decision to adopt or reject the idea is made after the company's presentation," explained the official.