Mnangagwa linked tycoon displaces 30 Ex-MPs

More than 30 former Zimbabwean legislators have approached the High Court to contest the expropriation of residential stands that were originally allocated to them, alleging that the properties were transferred to controversial businessman Conrad Billy Rautenbach under dubious circumstances.

The former MPs, who served between 2013 and 2018, include Fortune Chasi, Theresa Makone, Jessie Majome, Webster Maondera, and Temba Mliswa. The stands, situated in Goromonzi, Mashonaland East Province, were granted to them as part of their remuneration.

According to court papers filed by Chasi Maguwedze Legal Practitioners, the legislators are seeking a court order to reverse the seizure of their land by Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe. The summons also names the Surveyor General, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda, Rautenbach, and the Registrar of Deeds as respondents.

The ex-lawmakers argue that the transfer of the stands to Rautenbach, without their knowledge or consent, violates their constitutional right to property and constitutes expropriation without compensation. In their court application, they are asking for a declaration confirming the validity and continuity of their original offer letters and lease agreements. They also seek an order preventing the alienation of the land without either a court order or their consent.

Rautenbach is currently at the center of another land dispute at Springs Farm in Goromonzi, where local farmers, including war veterans, face eviction to make way for his urban development project. The government is reported to have offered him over 1,000 hectares of land in compensation for properties he allegedly lost in Harare. A letter dated March 14, 2025, from Minister Garwe to Rautenbach's Marimba Residential Properties Limited confirms the offer, outlining several parcels of land in Goromonzi that form part of the compensation package.

This is not the first time Rautenbach has been embroiled in land controversies. A 2019 High Court ruling found that his companies, Marimba Residential Properties and Marimba Industrial Properties, were not registered at the time they claimed title over land in June 2018.

The ex-lawmakers' legal action underscores ongoing concerns over land allocation practices in Zimbabwe, with critics highlighting allegations of preferential treatment and political favoritism. The case is expected to test the government's commitment to property rights and transparency in the administration of state land.