Mnangagwa's govt directs parcelling of Harare land to Chiyangwa

Residents and civil society groups have condemned the government's recent directive instructing Harare City Council (HCC) to allocate land to Pinnacle Holdings, a company owned by ZANU PF member and businessman Philip Chiyangwa, as compensation for property the government acquired from the company.

The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works issued the directive requiring the local authority to award the land, sparking outrage from the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA), which views the move as unlawful and unconstitutional.

CHRA director Reuben Akili said the directive is a blatant violation of the Constitution, undermining the autonomy of local authorities and the broader devolution agenda enshrined in Chapter 14 of the supreme law.

"The government has abundant state land across Zimbabwe, including in Harare, which it could use to compensate Pinnacle Holdings. For the Ministry to instruct the Harare City Council to allocate land is a direct attack on Section 276 of the Constitution, which safeguards devolution," Akili said.

He further emphasized that Sections 274 and 276 protect local authorities' independence in decision-making, warning that the directive threatens to erode these constitutional protections.

"The land issue represents an assault on devolution. Local authorities must retain their autonomy, and it is unlawful for government ministries to interfere in their affairs in this manner," Akili added.

The dispute revolves around a contested piece of land in Harare South, claimed by Pinnacle Holdings but acquired by the government. The directive now awaits approval by the Harare City Council through a formal resolution to facilitate the land transfer.

Akili cautioned councilors against becoming entangled in the disagreement between Pinnacle Holdings and the government, stressing that the local authority was never party to the original agreement concerning the land.

"The City Council should be guided by the Constitution and refrain from transferring land to Pinnacle Holdings, which has no existing agreement with the council. Pinnacle Holdings has no locus standi in this matter," he said.

As the issue unfolds, residents and civic groups are closely watching to ensure that constitutional principles and local government autonomy are upheld, warning against politicization of land allocation processes.