Government will repossess Wakefield Farm in Headlands, which former Zanu-PF national secretary for youth affairs Mr Kudzanai Chipanga allegedly dubiously acquired after the land was earmarked for the construction of a State university.
Mr Kudzanai Chipanga
Mr Chipanga is alleged to have corruptly acquired the farm with the help of then Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere and former Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Professor Jonathan Moyo.
Though he was allegedly not doing anything meaningful at the farm, Mr Chipanga is accused of levying a monthly fee of $10 000 to the former farmer to continue his activities.
Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said her office was seized with the matter.
“My office is working towards reversing all the anomalies and make sure State land is allocated for the rightful usage,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa said this on Sunday while addressing Zanu-PF members attending a provincial coordinating committee (PCC) meeting held in Mutare.
She was reacting to a suggestion by Zanu-PF secretary for finance Cde Patrick Chinamasa that her office should repossess the farm from Mr Chipanga.
“We had set aside three farms, which were gazetted by the then Minister of Lands, Didymus Mutasa,” said Cde Chinamasa.
“This one was set aside for the construction of Manicaland State University.”
Cde Chinamasa said in his endeavour to see development taking place in the area, he then engaged Prof Moyo and showed him the piece of land.
“I also went with Mandi Chimene (then Manicaland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs) and showed her the land,” he said.
“I was shocked to hear that they had given the same land to Chipanga. Maybe G40 meant to spite me, but that land remains a national asset.”
Minister Mutsvangwa said her investigations had revealed that Mr Chipanga “was doing nothing” at the farm.
“The original farm owner was allegedly told by Chipanga to pay him $10 000 every month and continue farming,” she said.
“The farmer ended up paying Chipanga $7 000 every month.
“Chipanga still wants to return to the farm, but there is no activity that he is doing. We made it clear that the farm is earmarked for the university.”
The minister said her office was aware that Mr Kasukuwere fraudulently allocated Ms Chimene another piece of land, which was State land.
“When he was Minister of Local Government, Kasukuwere gave Mandi (Chimene) documents that changed the farm, which appears as State land on Mutare’s master or grand plan,” she said.
“It was changed from State land to peri-urban and given to Mandi (Chimene) as the developer.
“There were about 550 people who were paying for stands after she sub-divided the farm. There was a lot of money exchanging hands that happened during that time.”-Herald
