Mugabe’s nephew in land wrangle
By Richard Chidza, Staff Writer
Monday, 17 September 2012 10:37
HARARE – President Robert Mugabe’s nephew Patrick Zhuwawo is at the centre
of a wrangle in which a private property under dispute is being parcelled
out to Zanu PF supporters.
The land at the centre of the controversy, Whitecliffe Farm, was
compulsorily acquired under the controversial land reform exercise.
The property belongs to property tycoon Eddies Pfugari who is making frantic
efforts to repossess it as he was also parcelling it to would-be home
seekers.
Sources privy to the goings-on at the contentious piece of land said Zhuwawo
with support from Zanu PF bigwigs has embarked on a campaign akin to the
Harare South project at Hopley Farm where the party has been giving away
residential stands without proper infrastructure.
“They just want to boost numbers for election purposes. That place
(Whitecliffe) lies within his constituency and he wants to lure voters using
private land. The owner is a private citizen with no political
inclinations.”
“They are victimising him because he has refused to fund their activities —
now he is paying for it,” an insider said.
Pfugari refused to comment.
“Please talk to my lawyers they are handling the matter. I am happy that
way,” he said. His lawyers also refused to comment claiming the matter is
sub-judice.
Zvimba East legislator Zhuwawo laughed off the claims.
“The people who are giving you such information have no other agenda but to
tarnish my name and that of Zanu PF. I am a clean politician and I will give
you a bull worth $5 000 if you find anyone who will indicate that I
facilitated their acquiring of a stand. Everything is being done either by
the ministry of Housing or the City of Harare,” Zhuwawo said.
The Daily News visited Whitecliffe at the weekend and noticed earthmoving
equipment parked on site for the weekend, showing that work was going on.
National Housing minister Giles Mutsekwa confirmed the political mudslinging
and bribery going on and also the involvement of Zhuwawo.
“People like Zhuwawo got involved because there was haphazard allocation of
stands and they wanted to benefit politically. Zhuwawo came to my office
twice and I told him anybody who wants to politic with Whitecliffe will fall
face down and I am very clear about that. I am the authority and will make
sure the right people benefit,” Mutsekwa said.
He also confirmed the existence of a committee which he said he had since
summoned and gave a tongue-lashing.
“I summoned those people who are fleecing people and giving them fake offer
letters we are on the ground now and putting up civil works. There are
people whose structures will be destroyed in the process and those will
benefit first.”
‘Our people must understand that anything being done outside the ambit of my
ministry is fake, illegal and will not be sanctioned,” Mutsekwa said.
Most of the people living on Whitecliffee according to Mutsekwa are victims
of Murambatsvina a massive clean-up operation that left almost a million
people homeless in 2005.
Mutsekwa could not comment on Pfugari’s challenge and referred the Daily
News to Lands minister Herbert Murerwa who was not available for comment
yesterday.