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Midlands Bureau

The chairperson of the Commission of Inquiry into the acquisition of State Land, Justice Tendai Uchena says the acquisition and occupation of State land in most provinces across the country was done in a chaotic manner which resulted in some beneficiaries living in squalid conditions.

He said some of the situations were a ticking time bomb for diseases.

The Lands Commission which is on a fact-finding mission on how state land was acquired and allocated among of other issues, is touring the Midlands province.

Justice Uchena said they had since visited eight provinces and were set to complete their fact-finding mission in the Midlands province this Friday.

Justice Uchena who was speaking when he visited the Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister, Senator Larry Mavima at his Government Complex offices, said the commission was on a mission to unravel how State land was acquired and what type of development was taking place on the acquired land.

“We also want to know how the acquired land was being developed. Whether there is any development or not and if there is development, is it being done lawfully? Are the layout plans for such development being followed among other issues?

The Supreme Court Judge said in some provinces they have visited, the situation was chaotic with some beneficiaries of the land living in squalid conditions with no water and sewer reticulation thereby exposing themselves to a health hazard.

“These are some of the issues we look into among others. In some of the provinces where we have visited, the situation is bad. We have been visiting the sites and at some areas we would find that a person was given a residential stand as small as 150 square metres and they have already occupied their land but with no water and sewer.

“Some have dug shallow wells and built Blair toilets in an urban set up with the well with a distance of about 10m between the toilet and the well. It’s unhealthy but it’s fortunate that we haven’t come across such scenarios in the Midlands province,’ he said.

Justice Uchena said after touring all the provinces, the commission will compile a report which will be submitted to President Mnangagwa.

Sen Mavima said the province has been waiting for the commission for a while.

He said for the country to achieve the President’s vision, there was need to correct some of the irregularities that were done in the allocation of State land.

“As a province we will support you with every piece of detail you require in your investigations so that you come up with an informed report. His Excellency has a vision of a better Zimbabwe come 2030 and we cannot achieve that when some people are living in houses with no water and sewer reticulation systems,”  Sen Mavima.