Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Richard Moyo, has issued a stern warning to headmen in Hope Fountain to desist from parceling out private land to buyers seeking residential stands.
Some headmen in the area have faced allegations of illegally selling private land to homeseekers since December last year.
Read : https://cite.org.zw/mthombothemba-cooperative-cries-foul-headmen-accused-of-illegal-land-sales/
The land in question was given to the community by the UCCSA church in 1981 to help community members make a living through farming activities, forming the Mthombothemba Community Cooperative.
However, allegations are that headmen have sold at least 31 stands at prices ranging between US$400 and US$900, depending on the financial capability of the buyer.
The squabble has stalled community development projects, including building a clinic, leading various stakeholders to seek Minister Moyo’s intervention. A meeting was held in Ward 1, Umguza, on Monday to address the matter.
“We are here to iron out issues. I was approached by different community leaders with varying views. I was advised that some headmen are selling land that should not be sold. When I approached them, they denied the allegations. We are here to resolve these issues,” Minister Moyo said.
Board Chairperson of the cooperative, Dingiswayo Chatagwe, outlined how the matter has caused divisions within the community and stalled development projects.
“This land is private property belonging to Mthombothemba. It is not communal land and has its title deeds. Its administration is run by a board of directors. The challenge we face is land barons who come and parcel out land here at Hope Fountain, allegedly with the help of headmen,” Chatagwe explained.
Chatagwe stated that headmen have no jurisdiction over private land unless appointed by the Rural District Council, which they report to through the village head and Chief. However, in this case, the Chief has no jurisdiction over this land.
“This division has halted development. We do not have a clinic here. A surveyor earmarked a place for a clinic, but no progress has been made,” he said.
“We have a list of at least 31 people who confirmed they bought land from headmen. We want this issue investigated further to prevent animosity from flagging social ills. Every time we raise this issue, we are labelled as opposition parties, but we are simply calling out wrongdoings. We do not want land barons and illegal settlers,” he added.
One of the accused headmen, Vusumuzi Ncube, argued that the land always belonged to the people and that the church should not have attached title deeds to it.
“This place was initially a reserve before those claiming to be custodians came. Before 1870, this was not private property. The church brought projects for the people, which worked well until they left in the 1970s,” Ncube said.
“They were supposed to return the land to the people who had always been here. They gave locals title deeds to keep the land safe. This was never private property; it had always been their land. We need clarity on the jurisdiction of headmen and how we are to carry out our duties to avoid these problems,” he added.
President of the UCCSA in Zimbabwe, Reverend Sikhalo Cele, expressed disappointment at the headmen’s conduct, citing disrespect and insult to the church’s kindness towards the community.
“Peace is built upon truth, not deceptive statements. The Church of UCCSA arrived here in 1859. When we were granted this place, no one lived here at this farm. It is unfair and insulting for people to claim the land belonged to the locals. The illegally settled people must be removed so the land can be rightfully utilized,” Reverend Cele said.
Minister Moyo explained the dangers of such conduct, warning the headmen that if convicted, they would be incarcerated.
“This challenge is faced countrywide. Many headmen have been arrested for parcelling out non-communal land. I don’t wish that to happen here. If such activities are happening, they must stop immediately,” Moyo warned.
“This land will not expand. If we keep settling people haphazardly, we will end up with no land for farming or livestock grazing. It will become overpopulated, defeating the purpose of the church’s land grant.
“As for the clinic, I expect a committee with representatives from all stakeholders to oversee the project. The clinic must have at least three houses for nurses. Let us work for the development of our community and cast away these divisions,” Moyo concluded.
