AFM loses building to council

HARARE City Council has taken over an Apostolic Faith Mission church building in Adbernnie that was constructed on an illegal piece of land and will now be used by residents for recreational purposes.

The city's Finance and Development Committee had resolved to lease another piece of land to AFM in contravention of the city's rules which require such stands be leased through tender procedures.

The matter was referred back to the committee after the full council said it would set a wrong precedence.

According to minutes of the Finance and Development Committee of February 12, the committee considered a report regarding the lease of stand 1 785 Ardbennie to Apostolic Faith Mission Church measuring 2 000 square metres.

"The applicant intended to use the stand for church purpose," read part of the latest council minutes.

"The committee noted that the church currently occupied a piece of council land without approval and had constructed a building they were using.

"The committee was of the view that the church should handover the building to the council for use by local residents before signing of the lease agreement for stand 1 785 Ardbennie. The recommended lease rental represented the prevailing open market rate of $0,075 cents per square metre."

The committee had resolved that notwithstanding council policy that such stands go through the tender process, the stand be leased to AFM for church purposes for an initial period of 30 years at an initial monthly rental of $150.

Subject to the approval of recommendation, the church was supposed to meet the costs of surveying, road construction and providing sewer and water reticulation and advertising the lease of the land.

Following a lengthy debate at a full council meeting on Monday, the full council was of the view that giving AFM land would fuel land invasions, with parties involved seeking compensation.