Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. The Government has warned chiefs, headmen and village heads that those who are selling State land to desperate land seekers face dismissal and prosecution.
Four village heads from Dema in Mashonaland East Province have since been convicted after appearing in court for selling stands in undesignated places.
The parcelling out and selling of State land has become rampant, not only in Dema but countrywide, especially close to growth points and peri-urban areas.
The Director of Communication and Advocacy in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works Gabriel Masvora told The Sunday News that the Government is conducting capacity-building workshops within the country’s eight rural provinces to conscientise traditional leaders on their role and ensure they do not overstep their mandate.
He said the issue of land distribution in exchange for bribes was one of the major objectives of the workshops due to an unprecedented increase in “Sabhuku deals”. Said Masvora:
The sale of State land is illegal. The duties of a village head are spelt out in Section 12 of the Traditional Leaders Act 29:17 and do not include land allocation.
The land is allocated by the rural district council concerned after the submission of names of those who want communal land to the council and a resolution is then made.
Our ministry carried out capacity-building workshops from May 2022 to April 2023 at all the eight rural provinces in every district and the meetings were attended by chiefs, headmen and village heads.
The duties of each traditional leader were explained and illegalities were spelt out. Chiefs and headmen supervise village heads, and where the rampant sale of land occurs, they are empowered by the law to recommend dismissal.
We continue to engage the Council of Chiefs which is an assembly of elected traditional leaders and the provincial assembly chairpersons to continue to raise awareness of the illegality of land sales and the consequences thereof.
Several village heads have been convicted of illegal land sales in the country with the recent example of Dema village heads convicted on 8 January 2024.
Zimbabwe Council of Chiefs president Chief Mtshane Khumalo said that traditional leaders are aware that State land should not be sold and those engaging in illicit land deals should be arrested.
Early this month, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) said police will arrest land barons and anyone illegally selling land in the country, regardless of their status.
ZRP spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi urged members of the public to verify the status of any land before being settled or made to pay for purported allocation or development.
He said the public should report criminal activities by land barons at any nearest Police Station or National Complaints Desk number on (0242) 703631 ог WhatsApp number 0712 800 197.
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