Staff Reporter
Government has dismissed as false and misleading claims by activist Hopewell Chin’ono and others that legislators were receiving free residential stands as bribes, clarifying that the allocations were part of a lawful, long-standing welfare scheme—with beneficiaries required to pay for the land at discounted rates.
Authorities have moved to correct the narrative after Chin’ono and some opposition figures alleged corruption in the allocation of land to current and former Members of Parliament.
Official statements from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, as well as ZANU PF Chief Whip Pupurai Togarepi, confirm that the stands were a structured, once-off entitlement under legislators’ conditions of service, not a clandestine inducement.
Yesterday, Minister Daniel Garwe, disclosed that 70 residential stands were allocated on April 9, 2025, to sitting and former MPs from the 8th , 9th and 10th Parliaments in areas including Killarney, Penrose and Mabelreign.
Since the programme’s inception in 2013, over 250 stands have been distributed nationwide, including in Goromonzi, Bulawayo and Chiredzi.
“This is not a free handout. It is a lawful benefit tied to their service, and all recipients are required to pay for their stands. Misrepresenting this as a bribe is irresponsible and undermines legitimate efforts to improve the welfare of public officials,” Minister Garwe stressed.
ZANU PF Chief Whip, Honourable Pupurai Togarepi, added that the initiative also eases pressure on the national budget by reducing hotel accommodation expenses for legislators who previously had no housing security.
“This is not about political favours—it is about ensuring that those who serve the nation are adequately supported. Spreading falsehoods to discredit a lawful welfare programme only serves to mislead the public,” said Honourable Togarepi.
The scheme aligns with broader Government housing programmes for civil servants, war veterans, women, and youth under constitutional provisions.
The clarification comes amid attempts by some activists and opposition figures to frame the land allocations as a corrupt scheme.
However, Government officials insist the process is transparent, with MPs from across the political spectrum benefiting under the same terms.
Meanwhile, other legislator empowerment initiatives include vehicle loan schemes, Constituency Development Funds (CDF), and capacity-building workshops—all aimed at enhancing parliamentary effectiveness.
