Arrest Of Land Barons Divides ZANU PF
The arrest of suspected land barons across the country has reportedly divided ZANU PF as some of the targeted individuals believe they are being used to settle scores.
Last month, ZANU PF issued a statement distancing itself from some of its officials who were allegedly involved in the invasion of farms, especially in urban areas where they sold housing stands to home seekers.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has also arrested several suspected land barons across the country.
Some of the suspected land barons who spoke to The Standard over the weekend said that it was unfair that they were being targeted after helping President Emmerson Mnangagwa and ZANU PF win last year’s elections.
Arrests in connection with the illegal sale of State land were made in Mutare, Chivhu and Nyabira.
In Chivhu, more than 33 villagers are resisting an eviction order claiming that ZANU PF officials were planning to resettle some officials on the land after the completion of the Chivhu Dam.
Suspended ZANU PF Mutare district coordinating committee chairman Binali Yard and some members of his committee were arrested and spent the Christmas holidays behind bars for allegedly selling land in Mutare’s Gimboki area.
Some war veterans were arrested after grabbing a farm in Nyabira and parcelling out residential stands.
A Harare land developer, who spoke on condition of anonymity said (via The Standard):
Some individuals are being targeted and there is a list of members who are being targeted for the arrests.
Surprisingly, this is also being done on factional lines.
If you know that you don’t support President Emmerson Mnangagwa while backing Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, you are in trouble.
Reports claim Mnangagwa and Chiwenga lead different factions in ZANU PF that are tussling to control the former liberation movement.
A senior ZANU PF official claimed that most land barons had the backing of powerful individuals in the party’s structures. He said:
Many reports have been made against the land barons even at the party, but some are untouchable since they represent some powerful individuals.
To become a land baron you will have to have some paperwork.
You cannot be a land baron without paperwork. They have some form of documentation.
The papers might not be in order, but they will have something that equips them with powers to distribute land.
Even if they are arrested most of the cases usually die with the perpetrators rarely facing any consequences.
That is the reason most of them remain in the structures so that they protect their interests.
Most people in leadership positions from provinces to districts are also involved in land deals, but they target agricultural land in conjunction with land officials.
ZANU PF Director of Information and Publicity Farai Marapira dismissed reports of factionalism caused by the arrests of land barons. He said:
ZANU PF is never divided, especially concerning issues of illegality. ZANU PF is united over the issue of addressing land barons and will leave no stone unturned to ensure this scourge is dealt with.
The illegal activities of land barons have resulted in the mushrooming of shanty settlements across the country and the construction of homes on wetlands and riverbanks in urban areas.
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