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Prominent Zanu-PF MP implicated in shady land deals
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A prominent ruling Zanu-PF lawmaker, Innocent Benza, has been linked to controversial land allocations in rural Seke, with the Manyame Rural District Council (MRDC) accused of facilitating questionable land deals. The allegations stem from a five-month investigation into land allocations made to Herentals Group of Colleges, owned by Benza, who also serves as the Zanu-PF member of parliament for Mutasa Central in Manicaland.
The investigation, conducted by the Information for Development Trust, a non-profit supporting investigative reporting, has revealed that MRDC played an active role in allocating land to Benza's institution after the August 2023 general elections. The local community and Chief Seke have expressed outrage over the alleged subversion of land allocation processes, accusing both the local authority and Herentals of disregarding legal and traditional procedures.
Herentals, a mass-enrollment educational institution with 45 learning centers across Zimbabwe, aims to expand into the Seke region, where residents and students have been relying on the nearby Chitungwiza branch. However, MRDC's approval of land allocations for the Herentals Group has raised concerns, as the approval lacked consultation with Chief Seke and local village heads, violating the Communal Lands Act, which mandates that such allocations must involve traditional leaders.
The controversy centers on MRDC's leasing of 7.5 hectares of communal land to Herentals for the construction of a secondary school. The lease agreement, signed in June 2023, was reportedly backdated and granted without the necessary consultations with local leaders, as required by law. Community members, particularly from NeChiva, Masona, and Marimbi, opposed the lease, fearing eviction from land they had occupied for decades. In a dramatic confrontation, villagers halted Herentals' groundbreaking ceremony in May 2023, asserting their right to the land.
Chief Seke has demanded accountability from MRDC, questioning the legality of the lease and highlighting the absence of consultation with the local community. Documents reviewed during the investigation also show irregularities in the signing of the lease agreement, further undermining the legitimacy of the deal.
This controversy comes amid broader concerns about the growing issue of land barons in Seke, with MRDC chief executive Farirai Guta acknowledging the prevalence of illegal land sales in the area. She expressed dismay at the lack of action against such practices, noting that over 300 illegal land sales have been reported, defying eviction orders from the council.
Benza, a businessman with ties to influential figures within the Zanu-PF party, is also under scrutiny due to his political connections. He has previously enjoyed support from Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, who played a pivotal role in his political rise.
The investigation further reveals that MRDC has been complicit in facilitating these contested land allocations, backing Herentals' interest in the land despite opposition from local residents and traditional leaders. The case has now escalated to the courts, with Herentals seeking to evict 15 families from the contested land.
As the case unfolds, MRDC has continued to endorse the land deal, with the council issuing further letters confirming Herentals' legal claim to the land and urging the institution to take legal action against the occupying villagers.
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has confirmed receiving multiple complaints regarding illegal land sales in Seke but has not yet received any specific complaints about Herentals' dealings. Chief Seke, however, has vowed to testify as a witness to highlight the irregularities surrounding the land allocation process.
The land dispute in Seke underscores ongoing challenges in Zimbabwe's rural land management system and raises serious questions about the integrity of local governance and land allocation processes. As the case continues to develop, the involvement of political figures and the local authority remains a central point of contention.
The investigation, conducted by the Information for Development Trust, a non-profit supporting investigative reporting, has revealed that MRDC played an active role in allocating land to Benza's institution after the August 2023 general elections. The local community and Chief Seke have expressed outrage over the alleged subversion of land allocation processes, accusing both the local authority and Herentals of disregarding legal and traditional procedures.
Herentals, a mass-enrollment educational institution with 45 learning centers across Zimbabwe, aims to expand into the Seke region, where residents and students have been relying on the nearby Chitungwiza branch. However, MRDC's approval of land allocations for the Herentals Group has raised concerns, as the approval lacked consultation with Chief Seke and local village heads, violating the Communal Lands Act, which mandates that such allocations must involve traditional leaders.
The controversy centers on MRDC's leasing of 7.5 hectares of communal land to Herentals for the construction of a secondary school. The lease agreement, signed in June 2023, was reportedly backdated and granted without the necessary consultations with local leaders, as required by law. Community members, particularly from NeChiva, Masona, and Marimbi, opposed the lease, fearing eviction from land they had occupied for decades. In a dramatic confrontation, villagers halted Herentals' groundbreaking ceremony in May 2023, asserting their right to the land.
Chief Seke has demanded accountability from MRDC, questioning the legality of the lease and highlighting the absence of consultation with the local community. Documents reviewed during the investigation also show irregularities in the signing of the lease agreement, further undermining the legitimacy of the deal.
This controversy comes amid broader concerns about the growing issue of land barons in Seke, with MRDC chief executive Farirai Guta acknowledging the prevalence of illegal land sales in the area. She expressed dismay at the lack of action against such practices, noting that over 300 illegal land sales have been reported, defying eviction orders from the council.
Benza, a businessman with ties to influential figures within the Zanu-PF party, is also under scrutiny due to his political connections. He has previously enjoyed support from Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, who played a pivotal role in his political rise.
The investigation further reveals that MRDC has been complicit in facilitating these contested land allocations, backing Herentals' interest in the land despite opposition from local residents and traditional leaders. The case has now escalated to the courts, with Herentals seeking to evict 15 families from the contested land.
As the case unfolds, MRDC has continued to endorse the land deal, with the council issuing further letters confirming Herentals' legal claim to the land and urging the institution to take legal action against the occupying villagers.
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has confirmed receiving multiple complaints regarding illegal land sales in Seke but has not yet received any specific complaints about Herentals' dealings. Chief Seke, however, has vowed to testify as a witness to highlight the irregularities surrounding the land allocation process.
The land dispute in Seke underscores ongoing challenges in Zimbabwe's rural land management system and raises serious questions about the integrity of local governance and land allocation processes. As the case continues to develop, the involvement of political figures and the local authority remains a central point of contention.
Source - newsday
