Kasukuwere says government has flashed out land barons

Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere says the government has flashed out land barons who were cashing in on desperate homeseekers, especially in the capital Harare and the neighbouring dormitory town of Chitungwiza.

Responding to a question by Senator Damian Mumvuri, Kasukuwere said the land barons had been arrested and their cases were now before the courts.  He did not give a figure of how many were arrested but media reports said some 15 land barons were arrested last year when the scandal that left scores of homeseekers stranded was exposed.

Woman mourns after her house is demolished during Murambatsvina- Pic. Huffpost

It is widely believed that most of the land barons were linked to the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front but worked with corrupt councillors and council officials.

The scandal only broke out after the fall-out in ZANU-PF when senior officials in the party such as Vice-President Joice Mujuru were kicked out. Some of those who supported her were caught up in the land scandal.

Mujuru has since said that she was not expelled from ZANU-PF but left on her own accord after President Robert Mugabe refused to rein in his wife Grace over her vitriolic comments on Mujuru.

Harare is reported to have more than 600 000 people on its housing waiting list.

Last year alone, about 145 000 new applicants registered for stands in the capital.

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