‘Best Performing minister’ Masuku sucked in land grab saga
Chiredzi residents anxious to know why the minister sidelined them at Buffalo Range at land that was earmarked for town expansion by govt
Harare- IN an ironic development, Chiredzi residents are up in arms against Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Anxious Masuka for allegedly grabbing land and allocating to his cronies,Express Mail Zim has heard.
Masuka was last year adjudged the Best Performing Minister at the 2022 Performance Evaluation Results and signing ceremony of the 2023 performance contracts for Cabinet ministers and senior Government officials.
Latest allegations levelled against him raise a stink as it is in complete negation of government ‘s allocation of 750 hectares to Chiredzi Town Council earmarked for town expansion at Buffalo Range Farm along the Ngundu-Tanganda Road.
However, sources (some of whom were dislocated after applying), told Express Mail Zim that bigwigs were allocating residential and commercial stands led by Masuka.
“I think our top party leaders must be made aware of what is happening in Chiredzi.
“Sons and daughters who were born and bred in Chiredzi have been sidelined on land allocation yet government under our President Emmerson Mnangagwa gave us a nod to apply for land at Bufallo Range in 2017.
“The land has already been parcelled out (by bigwigs)in Masvingo behind the back of our authorities in the district.
“Minister of Lands Masuku is one of the major culprits and this is causing division in our province,” said a source who preffered anonymity.
Other top officials implicated in this alleged land grab at Bufallo Range include Godfrey Huruva Mukungunurwa, Shephered Matavire (ministry of lands), Veronica Muzondo, one Mr Chivandire and Mr Svondo from the lands ministry.
These officials are said to have allocated themselves residential and commercial stands including shops and service stations.
This development comes as council has been sitting on a backlog of over 20 000 people on its residential stands waiting list since 2014.
Masuka is no stranger to alleged land grabs, he once clashed with former First Lady Grace Mugabe’s sister Rosemary Chidakwa for chasing her away from a Mazowe farm and handed it over to Monica Mavhunga.
The matter spilled to the courts.
The same award winning minister who has a penchant for khakhi outfits was recently ‘blessed’ with USD500 by President Mnangagwa to buy a formal suit at a gathering in Murewa.
Incessant efforts to draw a comment from Masuku hit a snag after perrenial attempts by this publication.
The development puts a microscope on the transparency of land allocation proccess which President Mnangagwa said must benefit communities as espoused in the policies of the Second Republic.
