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to consider the findings of the disbanded ad-hoc committee that investigated the city’s land sales, leases and exchanges between 2004 and 2009.
Fired councillor Warship Dumba chaired the ad-hoc committee. Names were not immediately available as consultations were still in progress with the identified persons.
The MDC-T led council has been calling for the prosecution of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister Ignatius Chombo and businessman Philip Chiyangwa among others for allegedly illegally acquiring vast pieces of land in Harare.

In a full council meeting last week, Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda revealed that eight people have been shortlisted for the five posts on the tribunal.
“We have identified eight individuals. We are still waiting for them to come back to us,” Mr Masunda said, adding that four of the eight nominees have strong legal background.
“Two are retired judges. One is a retired law officer in the Attorney General’s Office and one is a retired solicitor. The other four have been in the public service,” he said.

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The tribunal will consider the confidential report by the ad-hoc committee and “would further inquire and investigate into the report and request” for further submissions. Mr Masunda said the tribunal would ascertain whether all land sales and transactions were done procedurally in accordance with the Urban Councils Act.

The tribunal would hand over its report to council together with its recommendations in a move that is expected to bring finality to the long drawn matter. The tribunal is expected to complete its investigations within three months. Mr Dumba’s effort to have Minister Chombo and Mr Chiyangwa arrested failed on the basis of lack of incriminating evidence.

The two were also not accorded an opportunity to defend themselves hence the report was viewed as partisan and self-serving on the part of Mr Dumba. Minister Chombo has distanced himself from the corruption allegations saying they were aimed at tarnishing his image.
“Creative and highly imaginative elements have accused me of owning a multitude of houses and stands in every city and town in Zimbabwe. This is a figment of their fertile imaginations aimed at tarnishing my image,” he said.