The Member of Parliament for Uzumba, Simbaneuta Mudarikwa, today said the government should issue offer letters for land to families rather than to individuals so that the family is not kicked out when the individual dies.
In his contribution to the debate on the Land Commission Bill, Mudarikwa, who once likened the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front to a troop of baboons, said an offer letter in his case must be in his name and that of his wife, and if he has two wives, both wives.
“Everybody must be covered in the offer letter. People must be protected because a farm is not a shoe that belongs to me alone. It belongs to the whole family. It belongs to my kids and it belongs to everybody,” he said.
“Now, we are issuing out offer letters in the name of one person. When that person dies you see many people coming and everybody wanting to claim the land.
“We want to protect our people, family institutions must be protected and let us get a leaf from the Indians. When they build a house- first floor, second floor, they are all there and when they eat curry they all eat curry from first floor to third floor.
“So, the family institution must be protected on the farm. The names must be there. The Lands Commission must get birth certificates and must keep the data of the farms. It must not be something new to say we only heard this name. It must be protected.”
Mudarikwa said he supported the bill 100 percent and his opinion carried a lot of weight because he represented the largest number of voters than any other legislator.
“I want to thank the Hon. Minister for bringing the Land Commission Bill and it has my 100% support. By the way, I come from Uzumba Constituency which has got more votes than any other Hon. Member in this august House.
“So my voice is louder and clear and has more dignity, more support than any other Hon. Member,” he said.
Some 21 421 people voted for Mudarikwa in 2013 while only 945 voted for MDC-T and 222 for MDC.
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