Chitungwiza space barons clash with church over land ownership

Recent clashes between Kuera Apostolic Church (under Arch-Bishop Honest Mupepe) and allegedly connected space barons have spilled in the courts of law, as the two parties fight over ownership and control.

Allegations were that Ishmael Chibanda (68) had fallen victim to Chitungwiza space barons who misrepresented to him as rightful owners of the land in question.

Kuera Apostolic Church leaders were shocked that someone erected a structure at one of their assembly points rented from the municipality.

According to eyewitnesses, greediness amongst the space barons members has led to suspicion and mistrust within the grouping.

"This has led some members of the group to fight over dividends or proceeds from their loot," one of the eyewitness said.

"Out of frustration and anger, they destroyed the structure which was erected overnight," he added.

Speaking then during commissioning of four blocks of flats in Dzivarasekwa, Harare, Mnangagwa said the scourge of illegal settlements had spread its wings to rural areas, growth points and peri-urban areas where some unscrupulous traditional leaders were parcelling out land in anticipation of urbanisation.

"Cognisant of the fact that some unsuspecting citizens had already fallen victim to land barons, my Government has embarked on a programme of regularising some of these settlements, in line with the Zimbabwe National Human Settlements Policy," Mnangagwa said then.

"The cut-off of this special dispensation is 2021 when the policy was promulgated. People must toe the line and we cannot tolerate lawlessness. Hence, any further illegal developments that emerged post the policy launch will not be regularised," he said.