News / National
Boundary dispute stalls Zec delimitation
15 Jun 2022 at 07:37hrs | Views
THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has urged the Karoi Town Council and Hurungwe Rural District Council to solve the boundary dispute at Operation Garikai houses to pave way for a delimitation exercise in the area.
The boundary dispute forced Zec to hold a stakeholders' meeting in Karoi on Sunday.
Claudia suburb, formerly under Operation Garikayi, has houses that were allocated by Karoi Town Council, although it falls under Hurungwe rural ward 5.
Zec district officer Taona Pfunye said it was imperative that boundary issues are dealt with before the delimitation exercise.
"As we kickstart the delimitation exercise ahead of next year's general elections, let us bear in mind how we can agree to resolve conflicts like these,'' Pfunye said.
Karoi Town Council planning committee chairperson Travolta Matekenya said: ‘‘As Karoi Town Council, we agree that mistakes were made as it was above us as a local authority.
"Allocating residential stands at a private property under rural council was a political directive from the central government through Operation Garikayi. We messed up and all we need is to regularise it so that we offer required services to our residents. They have suffered long enough."
Due to the impasse which has clocked nearly 12 years, Claudia residents have not received any services from both councils although they paid rates to Karoi Town Council.
Hurungwe Rural District Council chairperson Badwell Chasara said both councils must respect citizens' rights.
"According to our council resolution in June 2012, Karoi council must be paying taxes as required by the law even if they want the land until the government has approved the process. We need to move forward,'' he said.
The boundary dispute forced Zec to hold a stakeholders' meeting in Karoi on Sunday.
Claudia suburb, formerly under Operation Garikayi, has houses that were allocated by Karoi Town Council, although it falls under Hurungwe rural ward 5.
Zec district officer Taona Pfunye said it was imperative that boundary issues are dealt with before the delimitation exercise.
"As we kickstart the delimitation exercise ahead of next year's general elections, let us bear in mind how we can agree to resolve conflicts like these,'' Pfunye said.
Karoi Town Council planning committee chairperson Travolta Matekenya said: ‘‘As Karoi Town Council, we agree that mistakes were made as it was above us as a local authority.
"Allocating residential stands at a private property under rural council was a political directive from the central government through Operation Garikayi. We messed up and all we need is to regularise it so that we offer required services to our residents. They have suffered long enough."
Due to the impasse which has clocked nearly 12 years, Claudia residents have not received any services from both councils although they paid rates to Karoi Town Council.
Hurungwe Rural District Council chairperson Badwell Chasara said both councils must respect citizens' rights.
"According to our council resolution in June 2012, Karoi council must be paying taxes as required by the law even if they want the land until the government has approved the process. We need to move forward,'' he said.
Source - NewsDay Zimbabwe
