Ignatius Chombo to probe the town council for alleged corrupt allocation of stands.
The residents accuse the nine-member coun-cil, consisting of six MDC-T councillors and three special-interest councillors appointed by Minister Chombo, of parcelling scarce residential stands amongst themselves and then rese-lling them at high prices.
The residents claim councillors buy residential stands for US$500 in high-density areas and resell them at US$4 000 each.
“We are appealing to the Government, throu-gh Minister Chombo, to investigate the councillors,” said Mr Jeff Hove from Tshovani Township.
They said some councillors owned more than six stands each while the housing backlog continued to soar.
“It’s an open secret that most of these councillors, irrespective of political party affiliation, are dishing out housing stands to themselves and reselling them,” Mr Petros Makuvare said.
Former Zanu-PF Chiredzi North legislator and Politburo member Cde Celine Pote called for immediate Government intervention.
“The corruption in the allocation of housing stands has reached embarrassing levels and Government has to do something urgently.
“The people of Chiredzi have suffered for too long,” she said. Chiredzi town chief executive officer, Mr Charles Muchatukwa, dismissed the allegations and called them “speculation”.
He said police investigations had absolved councillors.
“We have received those reports from residents, but they must prove that the councillors did acquire the stands.
“The residents who are complaining have to produce evidence against the councillors in question.”
Masvingo provincial administrator Mr Felix Chikovo refused to comment.
“I was out of office for too long and I will be able to give a concrete answer once I get back to work,” he said.

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