Seven MDC activists were arrested on Saturday after they invaded council land in Hunyani area and went on to illegally parcel out pieces of the land to other desperate home-seekers in the town.
However, Chengetai Murowa, the mayor of the MDC-run Marondera council, was quick to denounce the land invasion before he went on to disown the seven as MDC members.
“As the MDC, we don’t believe in mob politics. We don’t do land invasions as we believe in the rule of law,” Murowa said.
The seven are reported to be members of the MDC-aligned Marondera Residents Association (MARA) and want to occupy land owned by the local council claiming the authority had failed in its obligations to provide residential stands to home-seekers.
“If they are true MDC cadres, they will not behave like that. They are not part of us. It is a serious offence to invade council land and the law must take its course as we don’t believe in barbarism. You cannot just emerge from nowhere like mushroom,” said Murowa.
The local authority says it is planning on creating 17 000 housing units in the area.
“I urge people who want to get housing stands from the council to register and be on the council housing waiting list,” the mayor said.
In July this year, the MDC Mashonaland East executive recommended to the party to expel the MARA executive members from the party as they were putting the name of the main opposition into disrepute. However, the recommendation was not followed.
Police sources said the seven were expected to appear in court this week.
