News / Local
Ex-ZPRA cadres identify 100 properties
25 Dec 2023 at 04:32hrs | Views
EX-ZIMBABWE People's Revolutionary Army (Zpra) combatants have identified and listed at least 100 properties that are dotted across the country.
This follows the appointment of a board to spearhead the process of identification in consultation with the Government as instructed by President Mnangagwa.
Zpra was the military wing of PF Zapu during the armed struggle. Zpra's Nitram properties committee chairperson, Volta Ekem Moyo has said the list of properties has since been submitted to the Government for approval.
"We have identified 100 properties and the list, together with the title deeds, have been submitted to Vice-President Kembo Mohadi for forward transmission to President Emmerson Mnangagwa for action," he told Chronicle at a recent progress update meeting in Bulawayo.
"The properties include places of residence, farms and business. This has been done in due process where the identification of the properties is being done through registered property agents as well as the national estate agency,'' said Moyo.
He said the committee has been elevated to a board in order to spearhead the recovery process.
"We proposed to the comrades to give us the mandate and power to upgrade into a board. Of course, everything goes with some challenges and for us it was finances as we are not a properly financed committee.
"We strive to do our job in the best interest of our comrades through some small funding and we were mainly dependent on our convener, Tshinga Dube, and some few rentals we get from rented properties like Castle Arms," said Moyo.
"The comrades have been highly co-operative as you saw even the turnout in this meeting. They see this opportunity as the only way that can uplift their lives," he added.
When the country gained independence and the Zpra combatants returned home, they were sent to seven assembly points in different parts of the country. The former freedom fighters then contributed $50 each for the purposes of purchasing farms, buildings, and other commercial entities.
However, due to the teething problems that the country went through between 1982 and 1987, some of the properties were confiscated by the Government led by then Prime Minister, Robert Mugabe.
The Second Republic has, however, engaged with the ex-Zpra combatants and is in the process of ensuring that the war veterans recover their properties in line with President Mnangagwa's policy to address all issues arising from past conflicts.
Moyo said the committee was mandated to identify all the Zpra Nitram properties around the country.
He added that the board is also empowered to see to it that the Zpra Nitram properties are returned to their rightful owners.
He said so far, they had also registered 3 000 Zpra members, who are constituted by ex-combatants, widows, children and beneficiaries.
"So far, we have registered at least 3 000 out of a list of 10 000. We are trying by all means to identify all the sons and daughters of the soul who fought for the freedom of the country to benefit from what we built," said Moyo.
"The reclaimed properties would be categorised, into farming, mining, tourism, real estate among others."
According to a Zapu inventory, seized party properties include farms and hotels, among them Castle Arms in Bulawayo, Green Haven — a huge entertainment facility along Victoria Falls Road — and several residential properties.
Former Cabinet minister and freedom fighter, Dube, who also attended the meeting said Vice-President Mohadi had engaged with him and the committee who gave further instructions that include upgrading the committee into a board.
"We came here to report back on what we have done. We facilitated a meeting after the committee was set to meet Vice-President Mohadi," said Dube, a Retired Colonel.
"Following the compilation of the list, Vice-President Mohadi then gave us several instructions and one of them directed us to seek permission from the comrades who are the major shareholders to give the committee power to be a board.
"The other instruction given was that these properties must be categorised."
This follows the appointment of a board to spearhead the process of identification in consultation with the Government as instructed by President Mnangagwa.
Zpra was the military wing of PF Zapu during the armed struggle. Zpra's Nitram properties committee chairperson, Volta Ekem Moyo has said the list of properties has since been submitted to the Government for approval.
"We have identified 100 properties and the list, together with the title deeds, have been submitted to Vice-President Kembo Mohadi for forward transmission to President Emmerson Mnangagwa for action," he told Chronicle at a recent progress update meeting in Bulawayo.
"The properties include places of residence, farms and business. This has been done in due process where the identification of the properties is being done through registered property agents as well as the national estate agency,'' said Moyo.
He said the committee has been elevated to a board in order to spearhead the recovery process.
"We proposed to the comrades to give us the mandate and power to upgrade into a board. Of course, everything goes with some challenges and for us it was finances as we are not a properly financed committee.
"We strive to do our job in the best interest of our comrades through some small funding and we were mainly dependent on our convener, Tshinga Dube, and some few rentals we get from rented properties like Castle Arms," said Moyo.
"The comrades have been highly co-operative as you saw even the turnout in this meeting. They see this opportunity as the only way that can uplift their lives," he added.
When the country gained independence and the Zpra combatants returned home, they were sent to seven assembly points in different parts of the country. The former freedom fighters then contributed $50 each for the purposes of purchasing farms, buildings, and other commercial entities.
However, due to the teething problems that the country went through between 1982 and 1987, some of the properties were confiscated by the Government led by then Prime Minister, Robert Mugabe.
Moyo said the committee was mandated to identify all the Zpra Nitram properties around the country.
He added that the board is also empowered to see to it that the Zpra Nitram properties are returned to their rightful owners.
He said so far, they had also registered 3 000 Zpra members, who are constituted by ex-combatants, widows, children and beneficiaries.
"So far, we have registered at least 3 000 out of a list of 10 000. We are trying by all means to identify all the sons and daughters of the soul who fought for the freedom of the country to benefit from what we built," said Moyo.
"The reclaimed properties would be categorised, into farming, mining, tourism, real estate among others."
According to a Zapu inventory, seized party properties include farms and hotels, among them Castle Arms in Bulawayo, Green Haven — a huge entertainment facility along Victoria Falls Road — and several residential properties.
Former Cabinet minister and freedom fighter, Dube, who also attended the meeting said Vice-President Mohadi had engaged with him and the committee who gave further instructions that include upgrading the committee into a board.
"We came here to report back on what we have done. We facilitated a meeting after the committee was set to meet Vice-President Mohadi," said Dube, a Retired Colonel.
"Following the compilation of the list, Vice-President Mohadi then gave us several instructions and one of them directed us to seek permission from the comrades who are the major shareholders to give the committee power to be a board.
"The other instruction given was that these properties must be categorised."
Source - The Chronicle
