The Government has said the ongoing “No To Land Barons and Illegal Settlements on Land” operation is targetting land barons and not aimed at punishing citizens, reported The Herald.
The Government also condemned what it considers attempts to tarnish its image by those “bent on inciting hatred and despondency”, through circulating videos of burning houses that are allegedly from as far back as 2018.
This was revealed in a joint statement released last night by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Anxious Masuka, Local Government and Public Works Minister Winston Chitando, Acting Minister for Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Ziyambi Ziyambi and National Housing and Social Amenities Minister Daniel Garwe.
The ministers said in terms of the Land Commission Act and the gazetted Land (Consequential Provisions) Act, it is illegal to occupy rural State land without lawful authority in the form of an offer letter, permit or lease.
They added that it is also illegal for any person who is not authorised by central or local government to sell, lease or offer a lease with an option to purchase State land or council land. Reads part of the statement:
Government’s position has been consistently clear that there has to be an orderly and legal settlement on the land.
However, it has been noted with concern that there are people who are settling themselves illegally on urban land as well as rural agricultural State land and others who are illegally selling the same.
The Ministers stated that the operation was not intended “to punish or remove citizens from their homesteads as is being depicted but to restore order in the allocation and management of State land”. Reads the statement:
We have noted with concern the attempts to tarnish the Government by those bent on inciting hatred and despondency.
For the avoidance of doubt, the video circulating of burning houses is from an incident in 2018 and is not related to the current operation. This incident was investigated and corrective action was taken.
Apart from this and on similar lines, we are aware of other videos circulating on social media which, again, are intentionally calculated to discredit the current operation to restore order in the allocation and management of State land. Some of the videos are even from beyond the borders of Zimbabwe.
Government is committed to ensuring that all its citizens are settled in an orderly manner on allocated land.
In that regard, members of the public are advised to report any suspected cases of land barons and illegal settlements to ZRP hotline telephone numbers 0242 771874 and WhatsApp 0712 800 197 or the nearest Lands Office.
Last week the Masvingo Centre for Research, Advocacy and Development (MACRAD) Trust urged the Government to stop the ongoing summary removal of people accused of being irregularly settled on State land in the Province and instead, to prioritise the well-being of its citizens and provide sustainable solutions for those affected.
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