A group of residents under the banner of the Residents Forum has filed an urgent High Court Chamber application seeking to stop Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister, Saviour Kasukuwere, from parceling out state land to Zanu PF supporters only.
The residents cited Kasukuwere, the Attorney General, Advocate Prince Machaya, and the City of Harare councillors as first, second and third respondents respectively.
In his founding affidavit on behalf of the residents, Denford Ngadziwore, said Kasukuwere, who is also the Zanu PF national political commissar, was acting unconstitutionally and in a discriminatory manner by dishing out residential stands only to members of his political party.
“It is not the duty of the first respondent to parcel out residential stands to people. That duty rests with the local authorities in line with the Constitutional provisions of devolution of power.
“The first respondent’s actions are therefore, ultra vires the Constitution and therefore, null and void,” he said.
He said Kasukuwere had allocated thousands of hectares of land to Zanu PF supporters at the expense of other residents who were not supporters of the ruling party.
“Sometime in April this year at a Zanu PF rally in Mbare, the first respondent offered 1,500 hectares of land for Zanu PF youths. The land was specifically offered to Zanu PF youths through their leadership.
“On the 24th of July 2016, the Daily News live publication confirmed the distribution of urban residential stands to Zanu PF youths by first respondent.
“Most of the members of the Applicant are not affiliated to Zanu PF. Therefore, in respect to those members, the first respondent is acting unconstitutionally and in a discriminatory manner,” he said.
Ngadziwore said he had written to Kasukuwere on July 27 this year, raising his displeasure at the manner in which he was distributing land, but did not get any response from either the Local Government Minister or any other government official.
Kasukuwere was given 10 days to file his notice of opposition, failing which the application will be set down for hearing.
Residents Forum is being represented by Mwonzora and Associates.
Zanu PF has allegedly been dishing out residential stands to its youth wing and other supporters as the party prepares for the 2018 elections.
The party this month reportedly distributed 5,000 stands to youths in Norton ahead of a by-election in the constituency, which they went on to lose to independent candidate, Temba Mliswa. The action was largely viewed as a vote buying exercise.
