Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. IT is undeniable that there is chaos on farms in many parts of the country with cases of land theft and corruption, where in some cases settlers are evicted despite having been on the farms for quite a long time.
Those who legally apply for land are sidelined and it remains a pipe dream to acquire the land they applied for.
It is now known that identifying a vacant piece of land means handing carats of diamond to a sleeping land baron who quickly takes advantage of its availability and seize it.
Medical practitioners applied for agricultural land in 2021 through the office of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who acted swiftly by writing to the ministers of state for provincial affairs and the Lands minister.
The arrogance we endured at the hands of some of the provincial affairs ministers was just obnoxious and Mashonaland West was the worst then.
Medical practitioners were tossed back and forth with no help coming their way.
Some colleagues identified vacant pieces of land which went through the district lands committee procedures, alas, the issue was unceremoniously suppressed, especially in Mashonaland East’s Seke district.
Allegations of land being stolen were raised and The Standard newspaper even carried numerous stories of alleged corruption by some officers who are known to this day.
We have a record of all the suspected corrupt officials who were impediments to our success, especially in Seke district and the lands head office and we have submitted their names to relevant offices.
The medical practitioners are still in need of the land as supported by the President of this country.
Medical practitioners have remained steadfast and dedicated in this country, hanging on to serve the country.
We fought the dreaded COVID-19 when the whole world thought we were going to be annihilated as a nation, alas, we were one of countries that managed the pandemic very well globally.
Private medical practitioners are left out in numerous programmes that include duty-free vehicle schemes, land and stand allocation, cheap loans, yet about 40% of health service delivery is provided by private practitioners in the country.
Why not consider even just one duty-free vehicle in 10 years as a motivator?
At one time, we sought audience with Lands permanent secretary Obert Jiri.
He was very co-operative and forthcoming together with the new director in the same ministry.
They both promised to investigate what happened to the land that we had identified and, indeed, the work was done.
We appreciate what the permanent secretary is doing even today.
Keep it up Professor Jiri.
The President should know the calibre of people that he entrusts to deliver for the nation.
Medical practitioners have identified some pieces of land in other provinces again and the delaying habit remains dominant, particularly in Mashonaland West province, where allocation schedules have to be signed by the Provincial Affairs minister who has taken her time to do so.
This is repugnant and such abhorrent behaviour should not be tolerated in the second republic.
If the lands officials have done their part, including inspections and allocations, why does the Provincial Affairs minister sit on the papers to a point where some documents disappear?
Agricultural land falls under the purview of the Lands ministry and when the ministry verifies a specific piece of land, the Provincial Affairs minister should not be allowed to delay the process.
It is really sad that in most cases, the blame will be laid on lands officials yet they will have completed due process in time.
Does it need two years to append one’s signature on documents for land verified by the minister?
I want the President to know the character of some of his trusted ministers in this country.
Mashonaland West should wake up from a slumber and I have evidence about some applicants whose land was verified almost two years ago, but the schedules have not been signed by the same minister, missing two good rain seasons.
What type of leadership is this?
Land barons will take advantage of the vacant land, invade it and sell while the applicants are watching.
The ministers of state for provincial affairs are reminded to be diligent in their discharge of duties, remembering that public offices are supposed to serve the public.
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