Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
SOME civil servants are allegedly corruptly parceling out land in Kusile and Nkayi districts resulting in disputes.
The Chronicle learnt at a recent Matabeleland North Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting in Lupane that party members were urging the responsible authorities to institute an investigation.
They alleged that an unnamed official from the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing in Nkayi had clandestinely allocated 300 housing stands without the knowledge of the district administrator and other officials in the area.
They said land disputes were also reported in Lupane as a result of corrupt land allocations.
Said the party’s National Secretary for Business Development and Liaison Cde Sithembiso Nyoni:
“In Nkayi we are concerned because the Ministry of Local Government gave 300 stands without anyone’s knowledge. The DA just heard that there was someone distributing stands to civil servants. We have tried to check who those civil servants are and they are not known in the district. No party youth or member benefitted and as Nkayi we are seeking an investigation into the matter which will be reported at the PCC.”
Cde Stars Mathe, from Nkayi said the official was playing truant after the party summoned him to furnish it with names of beneficiaries, who are all believed to be from outside Nkayi.
“We were told that an officer from the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing compiled a list of land beneficiaries claiming it was made up civil servants from Nkayi. We invited him to bring the list so that we check on it but he has disappeared because he knows we are aware that beneficiaries aren’t from the district,” said Cde Mathe.
Cde Martin Khumalo, the party’s provincial commissar, who is also Lupane East MP said there were serious land disputes in his constituency.
“We have land squabbles in Lupane East and our call is for the revival of the lands committee so that these corrupt allocations can be reversed,” he said.
The PCC resolved that officials from the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing as well as the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement could be summoned after Politburo member, Cde Jacob Mudenda who is also the Speaker of Parliament said the ruling party had powers to demand answers from anyone.
There was also concern about disunity in Hwange District where party structures are reportedly compromised, as well as boundary disputes between chiefs Dingane-Nelukoba and Nekatambe of Gwayi and Dete respectively.
In an interview yesterday, party’s provincial chairperson Cde Richard Moyo they are planning a special PCC meeting over the issues in due course.
“As we open the year, we will have a Provincial Executive Committee meeting before end of this month when we will decide on the special PCC meeting,” said Cde Moyo.
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