Harare City Council under siege – residents say as government directs parcelling of land to Chiyangwa  

 By Darlington Gatsi 

GOVERNMENT’S directive to Harare City Council to award ZANU PF member and businessman Philip Chiyangwa land as compensation is unlawful, residents have said.   

The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works recently instructed the Harare City Council (HCC) to allocate land to Pinnacle Holdings, owned by Chiyangwa, as compensation for property acquired by the government from the company.   

Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) director Reuben Akili said the directive violates the Constitution by interfering in local authority affairs, undermining the devolution agenda.   

“The government has abundant state land across Zimbabwe, including Harare, which it could use to compensate Pinnacle. The directive given to the local authority is a direct attack on Section 276 of the Constitution, which enshrines devolution.   

“In fact, this entire land issue is an assault on devolution as provided for in Chapter 14 of the Constitution, particularly Sections 274 and 276. Local authorities must retain autonomy in decision-making,” Akili told NewZimbabwe.com.    

Government has been at loggerheads with Pinnacle Holdings over the land in Harare South which the latter claims ownership of. 

 The directive awaits approval from the local authority through a council resolution, which would facilitate the land transfer to Pinnacle Holdings.    

Akili further argued that the HCC should not be entangled in the dispute between the government and Pinnacle Holdings, as the council was not party to the original agreement.   

“It would be prudent for the local authority, particularly the councillors, to be guided by Chapter 14 of the Constitution on devolution.  

“The councillors must recognise that they cannot transfer any land to Pinnacle Holdings, which has no existing agreement with the City of Harare. In fact, Pinnacle Holdings has no locus standi in this matter,” Akili said.