ZANU PF Acting Secretary for Information and Publicity and National spokesperson Cde Patrick Chinamasa urged Government to take over land current in the hands of land barons and pseudo cooperatives or legitimately registered cooperatives that are non performing and have demonstrated lack of capacity.
Addressing the media, Cde Chinamasa said although the party is pleased
"Zanu-PF wishes to commend Government and in particular the Ministry of National Housing Cde Garwe for taking steps to implement the Party Manifesto with respect to unplanned settlement in Urban and Peri Urban areas with reference to Harare," said Cde Chinamasa.
"The mushrooming of unplanned housing schemes dotted all over the shore in Urban and Peri Urban area without the necessary planning and some on wet lands and without the necessary infrastructure such as roads, water, electricity, sewerage or provision of social amenities like schools, clinics, hospitals, business and commercial areas is a health time bomb waiting to explode," he added.
Cde Chinamasa urged Government to re-plan all settlements to make provisions for necessary infrastructure thus roads, water, sewer, electricity, ICT infrastructure and to relocate those to be displaced following the reorganisation.
"Activities of land barons and housing cooperatives in particular in Caledonian, Harare South, Hatcliffe North in Harare and Gumboki in Mutare should be investigated by law enforcement agencies and where criminal conduct is established arrest and prosecution should follow to bring such people to book. Investigations should start with all those persons who hide behind the name of ZANU-PF and thereby besmirch the good name of the Party," he added
He called upon local authorities to stamp out any unplanned settlement where ever these occur in near future.
He said ZANU-PF is therefore urging closer collaboration between the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities and Local Government and Public Works to ensure that the reorganisation of unplanned settlements is done in an orderly and swift manner.
He said for the success of this policy on reorganisation, Government through the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works should provide affordable land security of tenure.