Land corruption in Zimbabwe just kicked a family off their farm during planting season. The Mutale family, working a 122-hectare plot in Mashonaland West province from the land reform era, says their summer cropping got wrecked by officials trying to seize their property. This disruption at Just Right Farm in Mhondoro-Ngezi mirrors wider chaos, with individuals like former Air Force staffer Fanuel Mangezi allegedly illegally parceling out over 32 hectares. The family's case is now with the High Court.
Their story is not unique. Thousands faced eviction from Willdale Farm in Mt Hampden after a court order left about 7,000 families stranded. A children's home was demolished in the process. The government later offered alternative land in Nyabira. Over 150 families at Old Citrus Farm near Chinhoyi were literally left in the open after their homes were burned following a long dispute with businessman Phillip Chiyangwa's son, Bruce, despite a previous eviction authorization from the High Court.
The province has become a total hotspot for this garbage. Its fertile soil and proximity to the capital, Harare, make it a target. More than forty percent of new peri-urban settlements around the capital spilled into Mashonaland West, supercharging competition. Investigations show a mess of fake offer letters and double allocations, like at Exwick Farm in Chegutu, where settlers hold fraudulent documents from syndicates linked to government offices.
Insiders from the Lands Ministry admit most beneficiaries have no legally valid tenure, even after paying taxes. Reports indicate land barons in areas like Spitzkop and Norton resell occupied stands, constantly displacing people. The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission spokesperson, Simiso Mlevu, acknowledged a strong likelihood of corruption within the Lands and Local Government ministries, which manage this system.
Lands Ministry Permanent Secretary Obert Jiri confessed corruption among his personnel is rampant, claiming efforts are underway with the anti-corruption commission to fix it. The provincial minister, Marian Chombo, was unavailable for comment. The whole situation points to organized networks, not just rogue individuals, involving land officers, surveyors, and political fixers. This systemic corruption bleeds the national economy, with one report noting billions lost annually, while regular people get shoved off their land.
Their story is not unique. Thousands faced eviction from Willdale Farm in Mt Hampden after a court order left about 7,000 families stranded. A children's home was demolished in the process. The government later offered alternative land in Nyabira. Over 150 families at Old Citrus Farm near Chinhoyi were literally left in the open after their homes were burned following a long dispute with businessman Phillip Chiyangwa's son, Bruce, despite a previous eviction authorization from the High Court.
The province has become a total hotspot for this garbage. Its fertile soil and proximity to the capital, Harare, make it a target. More than forty percent of new peri-urban settlements around the capital spilled into Mashonaland West, supercharging competition. Investigations show a mess of fake offer letters and double allocations, like at Exwick Farm in Chegutu, where settlers hold fraudulent documents from syndicates linked to government offices.
Insiders from the Lands Ministry admit most beneficiaries have no legally valid tenure, even after paying taxes. Reports indicate land barons in areas like Spitzkop and Norton resell occupied stands, constantly displacing people. The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission spokesperson, Simiso Mlevu, acknowledged a strong likelihood of corruption within the Lands and Local Government ministries, which manage this system.
Lands Ministry Permanent Secretary Obert Jiri confessed corruption among his personnel is rampant, claiming efforts are underway with the anti-corruption commission to fix it. The provincial minister, Marian Chombo, was unavailable for comment. The whole situation points to organized networks, not just rogue individuals, involving land officers, surveyors, and political fixers. This systemic corruption bleeds the national economy, with one report noting billions lost annually, while regular people get shoved off their land.
