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15 000 houses face demolition (photos) - WhatsApp update

11 Jul 2014 at 02:29hrs | Views
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12:11am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬: I was in Chitungwiza today saw the man made demise of a vibrant and organised dormitory town.

The workers are on strike and there is no services with clinics closed and rubbish all over. The so called army volunteers were conspicuos by their absence with workers singing and milling around the offices The failure of Chitungwiza city council to pay workers is not new and dates back to 2008 when the council had to borrow money from one politician and magnate Mabamba to pay workers. What is pathetic is, that again the council is allegedly said to have failed to pay Mabamba now a dismissed councillor his loan with interest although some argue the whole transaction was not above board.

What is clear is that abuse of council land followed this arrangement with council clandestinely or willingly as alleged getting into bed with Mabamba to allocate most open spaces to his cooperative and thus, began the humanitarian crisis in Chitungwiza were 15 000 houses face demolition from the ministry of local gvt.

Apparently land was sold to people with disregard to bylaws on wetlands ,recreational facilities and sewer systems designate areas. Surprisingly the municipality was complicit as the tenants of most houses visited today have house numbers and receipts of payment to the munipal accounts office.

A cartel developed and swindled both the town and people of hard earned savings as most are former and serving civil servants.On my first visit to. Chitungwiza and the subsequent court application by the Human Rights Forum to stay demolishements, I highlighted the need to have a robust, holistic and sober approach to housing issues in Chitungwiza. Of concern is the fact that these stands were developed in the presents of municipal police, an  inspection department of the local council housing inspectorate.It then follows that there was infered and direct endorsement by council of such housing projects and people were confident of the authenticity of Mabamba and cahoots.It is my strong belief that the laws of natural justice should apply and gvt should regularise most houses especially on wetlands and find a way to create drainage and human living conditions.

Those houses built on top of sewer lines should be adequately compensated by Chitungwiza council for both land and improvements.It is heartless that today these people are losing sleep and psychologically in trauma as the demon and horror of Murambatsvina looms in the background. Politicians like Mabamba and Chigumba have created fiefdoms and seem to be ignorant of the fact that shelter is a basic right that must not be manipulated for political mileage and expediency.

Zanu Pf stand warned that condoning such acts and disregard for human rights will not go unpunished. Democratic Assembly For Restoration And Empowerment (DARE), calls on the responsible people to be brought to justice and the minister of local gvt to resign over this scandal. The scandal has exposed the politics of expediency at the expense of proffessionalism. What is sad is Minister Chombo's tendency to destroy first without regard to alternative accormodation and shelter. We call upon  cabinet to handle this matter with a human heart and common sense devoid of warped political judgements and parochial partisan  interests.

12:12am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬:


12:12am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬: With the people

12:13am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬:


12:15am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬:


12:15am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬:


12:16am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬:


12:16am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬: Some of the houses finished and under.construction.

12:18am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬:


12:18am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬: Men at work

12:21am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬:


12:22am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬: Most of the people are civil servants or former civil
servants ,civilian and military.

12:22am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬: The women above is a nurse.

12:23am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬:


12:24am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬: Most of the houses.have tape water , electircity  who aproved engineering drawings....

12:25am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬:


12:25am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬:


12:25am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬: Council workers on strike

12:26am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬:


12:28am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬:


12:29am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬:
Gilbert Dzikiti ,DARE President

12:29am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬:

12:33am, 11 Jul - ‪+263 77 ▩▩▩ ▩▩▩▩‬:
Furthermore Mr Mabamba in violation of bail condition is reportedly moving around meeting the same people he allegedly swindled and are facing demolishment of their properties in clear violation of the countries laws.

8:58am, 11 Jul - Bulawayo24 News:
Thank you for the update

Source - Byo24News via WhatsApp
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