City of Harare taken to court over land grab

Staff Reporter

Tynwald South residence, represented by the Harare Residence Trust (HRT) have taken the MDC Alliance-led City of Harare to court following  the take-over of their Primary school stand by the City of Harare in violation of the Education Act and a provisional court order barring any such developments on the school stand.  The rights to education of children in Tynwald South have been compromised as a result.

In a press statement, the HRT reveals how the MDC A-led City of Harare continues to defy the court order that was set barring any developments on the school stand.

“In the case HC5420/20, High Court Judge, Justice Tawanda Chitapi on 20 May 2021 reserved judgement and ordered that pending the judgement the first respondent, who is the City of Harare shall not allow any developments to take place on stands 2164 and 2165 Tynwald South, Harare, nor to take any further processing or other action to commence or further any alienation of the residents or any other person or entity,” read part of the statement.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) which normally fights on the MDC Alliance corner, turned against City of Harare and fired shots.

“The ZLHR on behalf of the HRT and Tynwald South residents on 28 May 2021 wrote to Gambe law Group, the lawyers representing the City of Harare that there were unlawful developments on stand number 2165.

“The ZLHR urged the council lawyers to advise the City of Harare to take urgent action to cease the activities on site the failing which the ZLHR will have no option but to implement contempt of court proceedings, read the statement.

Meanwhile the City of Harare has, on numerous occasions, found itself embroiled in illegal land deals, facilitating Land Barons to carry on their illegal activities.  Former City of Harare Mayor, Jacob Mafume was arrested for illegally allocating his sister and his law firm’s secretary stands in Westlea without following due process and procedure.  This followed hard on the heels of his predecessor Mayor Hebert Gomba who was arrested by members of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) for allegedly grabbing an upmarket sports club’s vacant stand.