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Harare Bureau
The government has introduced a new housing scheme to protect the public from unscrupulous land barons that have reaped millions of dollars from them through illegal sales of residential stands.

In a statement yesterday the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing said the Own-Your-Own-Home Scheme was meant to meet the targets set under the Zim-Asset economic blueprint. “The scourge of illegal settlements precipitated by the activities of the land barons and the non-development of land by housing cooperatives and land developers has necessitated Government to introduce a new housing scheme known as Own-Your-Own-Home Contributor Scheme to meet Zim-Asset target.

“The scheme will be anchored on member contributions to leverage finance while the ministry will provide the land and infrastructure services,” the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry has since tendered for the supply of plant and equipment for the development of land.

Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere said the government was aiming at offering people affordable accommodation.

“It’s a programme that’s meant to give people a chance to have decent accommodation that’s affordable. We’re already engaging private contractors to clear the land countrywide,” he said, adding he would divulge further details on the programme today.

Under Zim-Asset, the government expects to provide up to 300,000 residential stands by 2018.

The government has embarked on a crackdown against land barons that have been illegally selling State and council land to unsuspecting members of the public.