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Harare prime land saga deepens
2 hrs ago |
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City of Harare records have revealed a controversial directive from the Ministry of Local Government instructing the council to transfer land in the upscale Newlands area to a private company, despite a High Court ruling confirming that the property belonged to four other beneficiaries.
The matter came to light following the arrest of former Harare South MP Shadreck Mashayamombe and Deputy Mayor Rosemary Muronda by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc). Both were released on US$500 bail after the complainant, Marvis Java, withdrew her complaint alleging she had been sold a non-existent commercial stand. Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume was also questioned by Zacc and released without charges.
Records show that on July 23, 2025, Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe instructed the Harare City Council to transfer the Newlands land to Logara Properties, despite a court ruling confirming ownership by four companies: Clean Burn Energy, Gemdale Investments, Diexodos Marketing, and Aspire Elite Incorporated. The companies are linked to Mashayamombe, a Chinese businessman named Giene, Muronda, and Mafume, respectively.
Council minutes from a December 11, 2025 finance and development committee meeting noted the complications of implementing the ministerial swap deal in light of the court ruling. "The committee considered the matter and noted that there were issues that had to be dealt with before a decision could be made," the minutes read, adding that discussions were shelved until legal clarifications were obtained.
Sources familiar with the developments said that Garwe summoned Mafume, acting chamber secretary Warren Chiwawa, acting town clerk, and acting evaluation manager Kennedy Chikandamina on December 10, 2025. He allegedly instructed them to proceed with the land swap, maintain land sizes, and adjust site plans to avoid contempt of court, effectively ensuring the lessors received land of lesser value.
In his July directive, Garwe justified the deal by claiming Logara Properties would invest US$70 million in a greenfield project, describing it as being in the public interest. However, he later disassociated himself from the swap and threatened legal action against The Standard following reporting on the matter.
Attempts to obtain further comment from Minister Garwe regarding the council records and the legal implications of his directive were unsuccessful at the time of going to print.
This episode raises serious questions about ministerial overreach, adherence to court rulings, and transparency in Harare's land allocation processes.
The matter came to light following the arrest of former Harare South MP Shadreck Mashayamombe and Deputy Mayor Rosemary Muronda by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc). Both were released on US$500 bail after the complainant, Marvis Java, withdrew her complaint alleging she had been sold a non-existent commercial stand. Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume was also questioned by Zacc and released without charges.
Records show that on July 23, 2025, Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe instructed the Harare City Council to transfer the Newlands land to Logara Properties, despite a court ruling confirming ownership by four companies: Clean Burn Energy, Gemdale Investments, Diexodos Marketing, and Aspire Elite Incorporated. The companies are linked to Mashayamombe, a Chinese businessman named Giene, Muronda, and Mafume, respectively.
Council minutes from a December 11, 2025 finance and development committee meeting noted the complications of implementing the ministerial swap deal in light of the court ruling. "The committee considered the matter and noted that there were issues that had to be dealt with before a decision could be made," the minutes read, adding that discussions were shelved until legal clarifications were obtained.
Sources familiar with the developments said that Garwe summoned Mafume, acting chamber secretary Warren Chiwawa, acting town clerk, and acting evaluation manager Kennedy Chikandamina on December 10, 2025. He allegedly instructed them to proceed with the land swap, maintain land sizes, and adjust site plans to avoid contempt of court, effectively ensuring the lessors received land of lesser value.
In his July directive, Garwe justified the deal by claiming Logara Properties would invest US$70 million in a greenfield project, describing it as being in the public interest. However, he later disassociated himself from the swap and threatened legal action against The Standard following reporting on the matter.
Attempts to obtain further comment from Minister Garwe regarding the council records and the legal implications of his directive were unsuccessful at the time of going to print.
This episode raises serious questions about ministerial overreach, adherence to court rulings, and transparency in Harare's land allocation processes.
Source - The Standard.
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