Controversy surrounding projects being rolled out by one of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s advisors has spilled into court after a Harare man found his residential stand turned into a site for one of the schemes without his consent.
This emerged in a case where a Harare man dragged the municipality to the High Court after it allocated his stand for a presidential borehole scheme run by Mnangagwa’s special advisor Paul Tunguwarara without his knowledge.
The applicant, Chenjerai Milton Musonza, cited the City of Harare and the director of housing and community services as respondents.
Musonza submitted that sometime in March 2020, he was allocated a high-den-sity residential infill stand called Stand number Rem 5807 Glenview, Harare.
Musonza paid a total of US$485 317, 54, in local currency, broken down as $1 500 as administration fees, US$30 000 as a provisional deposit for intrinsic land price, $150 967-53 as water connection fees and US$302 850.00 as sewer connection fees respectively.
The resident said he was shocked after he found that his residential stand had been taken by unknown persons in 2023 and turned into a presidential scheme.
He said a community solar project covering the whole stand was erected and a borehole was drilled there, all without his knowledge.
Musonza said he engaged the City of Harare over the matter, and the municipality undertook to allocate him an alternative stand elsewhere within Harare.
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This was in 2024.
Musonza submitted that since then, the City of Harare has gone quiet despite countless requests through his legal practitioners for an update and amicable solution on the matter.
He submitted that the defendants’ silence left him with no option but to approach the High Court for redress.
Musonza said all he wants is reallocation of the equivalent value of the residential stand or be refunded all the money that he paid for the stand.
Musonza said his plans to build his dream home have been derailed, and a lodger yet he should have been staying at his own house.
He also wants to be compensated for damages suffered as a result of the breach.
Musonza said it is fair that defendants be slapped with an order for payment of damages for breach of contract in the sum of US$10 000 or its equivalent in local currency.
Musonza has given the council an ultimatum to reallocate him a stand within a month after the summons.
The case is pending.
Observers said the case lifts the lid on the operations of land barons, most of whom are linked to the ruling Zanu PF party, in the capital.
The land barons have also invaded wetlands.
A number of presidential schemes spearheaded by Tungwarara, have been unveiled in recent months.
Last week, Tungwarara presided over the launch of the presidential empowerment scheme for the shadowy Children of Zimbabwe Liberation War Veterans Association (COZLWVA).
COZLWVA was presented with a seed capital of US$500 000 to kick-start their entrepreneurial ventures.
Observers have said the initiatives are meant to buy support for a controversial plot to extend Mnangagwa’s term of office from 2028 to 2030.
