Gwanda villagers clash with Town Clerk

Tensions have erupted in Village 6, Nyandeni area of Gwanda, as villagers accuse Gwanda Municipality Town Clerk, Priscillar Nkala, of attempting to settle in their community without proper consultation or authorisation.

The villagers claim Nkala began clearing land and cutting down trees on a stand in their area without their consent, alleging that she acquired the land through improper means.

"Our issue involves a stand in Village 6, Nyandeni. We don't want outsiders to come and settle here without proper procedure. If we allow it, we fear our area will end up like others where people from unknown places just move in, while local youths remain without land," said one villager.

Residents said they were surprised to discover that the woman clearing the land was the town clerk.

"We were shocked to see this woman clearing land. We later discovered she is Gwanda Town Clerk, Priscillar Nkala. At first, we only knew her as 'uMaNkala'," said another villager.

They accused Nkala of receiving the stand from a local council employee.

"So when those in power are able to peg stands for themselves and allocate stands as they wish, even the person who gave her the stand, who is also a community member here, works at the council as a parking marshal. We suspect there was money involved but we don't have proof for that," said another resident.

The dispute dates back to last year, with residents saying they have repeatedly objected to Nkala's presence.

"We have been fighting this issue from last year. We strongly objected in various meetings that we don't want her to settle here. We don't want her because when she got here, we only saw her cutting down trees with a chainsaw. When we asked which authority gave her permission, she said she was allocated the stand by Nkulumo Ncube, who is a parking marshal," a villager said.

Adding to the controversy, community member Nozibusiso Nyathi accused Ncube's wife, who serves as the community secretary, of altering meeting minutes to favour certain individuals.

"We really have a big problem in our village. We have reported this issue to the District Lands Office because we want it resolved. Some people were previously arrested for pegging stands on their own. Afterwards, the Ministry said no one should peg stands until official procedures are completed," said Nyathi.

She said the community was shocked that someone in a senior position could receive a stand while locals were barred from doing so.

"The elders in our community are telling us that we don't have a say in land issues. When Village 6 resettlement started, there were 17 stands with leases. Now there are 60, belonging mostly to young people moving out of their parents' homes. But those with leases claim we can't make decisions about who settles here," she said.

Nyathi added that even when the Ministry of Lands holds meetings, officials only engage with the 17 households that have leases, sidelining the rest of the community.

Meanwhile, villagers said a community meeting was held where the youth unanimously rejected Nkala's settlement. However, some said they later faced intimidation.

"After the meeting, some of us were targeted by Ncube, who threatened to beat us. When the matter was reported to the police, he apologised and said it would not happen again. Now Nkala has returned with the backing of two elders in the community, against the 60 stands who still reject her," said a villager.

Nyandeni Village Head, Johane Moyo, said he was aware of the dispute and would convene another meeting to resolve it.

"We are fighting for our children to get stands. Where will they go?" Moyo said.

When contacted for comment, Gwanda Town Clerk Priscillar Nkala dismissed the allegations as exaggerated.

"Where am I building? I am not building there, and I cannot build there without their consensus. It's an issue that is being blown out of proportion by people for various reasons that they have," Nkala said.