Suspended ZANU-PF councillor was fingered in Parliament

The Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front councillor for ward 25 in Chitungwiza who was suspended by Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo was last week fingered in Parliament as one of the most corrupt councillors in Chitungwiza.

Fredrick Mabamba was suspended following an investigation ordered by Chombo into the illegal disposal of land in Chitungwiza.

Chombo said charges would be preferred against Mabamba and he would be given an opportunity to respond.

Last week, the Member of Parliament for Zengeza East Alexio Musundire told the House that Mabamba was one of the most corrupt councillors in Chitungwiza.

“There is no way in Chitungwiza you can talk of illegal land allocation without mentioning the name Mabamba. They call him ‘Mapani’.

“Stands are being sold like tomatoes at the gate of Chitungwiza Council,” Musundire said. “Even police officers are purchasing those stands. Mr. Speaker Sir, I am not saying the police officers are corrupt but I am simply saying, the police officers are also buying the stands that are illegally being sold.

“It is our wish, as Chitungwiza residents, that those people, who are involved in illegal land dealings be arrested. They are not getting arrested, why?

“You would find that the previous plan of Chitungwiza had 14 primary schools. Those 14 primary schools had been converted to 1423 housing units of which 10 schools were taken by Mabamba.

“Churches and crèche sites – when you read Mathew 24, you will hear that very soon, the world will come to an end – in Chitungwiza, there are people who are busy taking land that has been reserved for churches.

“So far the land that was reserved for churches was converted to 1 124 stands and 94 stands were created on existing church land in Unit J. If you want, you can check.

“No change of land-use was done as required by Section 23 (3) of the Regional Town and Country Planning Act. This was done by Dr. Mabamba, Makuchete and Jacob Rukweza. These are all former councillors.

“In Unit P, about 300 stands were created by Mabamba on his own and not by council. No change of use was done as required by the relevant section of Regional Town and Country Planning Act. There was a numbering duplication; that is, all the numbers belonged to another area.

“It is like a wrestling act where you have one doink and suddenly another doink appears. So, in Chitungwiza, you cannot really locate the exact place when you want to find somebody.

“The numbers have been duplicated and it has become very difficult. On the cemetery, I have a friend of mine who is at number 1346; his next door is a grave of a person who died in 1996. That shows the extent of illegal land allocation in Chitungwiza.”

Here is Musundire’s full contribution to parliament:

(25 VIEWS)