Mnangagwa extends term of Commission of Inquiry into land by nine months

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has extended the life of the Commission of Inquiry into the sale of State land in urban areas by nine months to enable the commission to cover the four remaining provinces.

Although the commission, which was sworn in in February last year, has covered six of the 10 provinces, it has more units to cover in the four remaining provinces than in the six where it has completed its work.

According to the Ministry of Information, the commission, has covered 79 units in Mashonaland East, Masvingo, Manicaland, Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and Matebeleland South.

But it still has 121 units to cover with 65 in Mashonaland West and 44 in Harare.

The commission is chaired by Justice Tendai Uchena.

It terms of reference are:

• To investigate and identify all State land in and around urban areas that was acquired and allocated to the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing for urban development since 2005;
• To investigate and ascertain the status of such land in terms of ownership, occupation and development;
• To investigate methods of acquisition and/or allocation by current occupants and owners of such land;
• To investigate and ascertain the actors involved in allocations, occupation and use of such land;
• To conduct visitations where necessary, summon witnesses, record proceedings, minute testimonies and document, consider and manage all information gathered in order to arrive at appropriate findings and recommendations to the President;
• To investigate any other matter which the Commission of Inquiry may deem appropriate and relevant to the inquiry; to report to the President in writing, the result of the inquiry.

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