A war veteran’s ambitious plan to transform his farm into a state-of-the-art smart city is hanging by a thread amid allegations of land grabbing and corruption involving senior Marondera council officials.
John Fadzisayi Jani, a liberation war veteran, says his vision is to align with the country’s Vision 2030 agenda, which aims to achieve an upper-middle-income economy partly through digital innovation and smart urban development.
He revealed to The Standard that he already has foreign and local investors ready to pour millions of dollars into the project.
The planned smart city on Jani's Elmswood Farm would feature digital housing systems, renewable energy solutions, intelligent water and waste management and modern infrastructure designed to ease congestion in Marondera while creating thousands of jobs.
“I fought for this land, and now I want to turn it into a legacy project that benefits the nation. Investors are waiting, the designs are ready, but corrupt officials are frustrating the process by parcelling out my land for personal gain,” Jani told The Standard.
According to documents seen by this publication, the war veteran holds legitimate ownership of the farm on the outskirts of Marondera.
As such, Jani has filed a court application against Marondera Municipality, town clerk Rinashe Nyamuzihwa, and mayor Chengetai Murova seeking an urgent order to halt the illegal occupation and land allocations.
Court papers accuse the respondents of forcibly taking the farm on November 1, 2024, proceeding with pegging, allocating stands, and receiving payments from beneficiaries despite having no ownership rights.
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The Standard also established that the situation has created confusion and sparked tension, as beneficiaries of the illegal stands have already begun construction, despite objections lodged by Jani.
Jani’s proposed smart city would have been one of the first private-led projects of its kind in Zimbabwe, complementing the government’s own plans such as the Mt Hampden Cyber City and Victoria Falls Special Economic Zone.
“This is not just about me. It’s about moving Marondera forward,” Jani said.
“Young people need jobs, and our country needs futuristic infrastructure.
“But how do we achieve Vision 2030 when corrupt officials sabotage national priorities?”
Efforts to obtain a comment from Marondera council were fruitless.
However, insiders claimed some top government and council officials fear exposure to “deep-rooted land scandals” if Jani’s case gains traction.
Urban planning experts say the alleged seizure of the land highlights the conflict between corruption-driven land allocations and the country’s developmental goals.
The controversy comes as Zimbabwe pushes to attract foreign direct investment in infrastructure and technology.
For now, Jani remains defiant: “I did not sacrifice in the liberation struggle for my dreams to be buried by greedy individuals,” he said.
