29 (NewsDay Live) – The government says it has intensified a nationwide crackdown on land barons and individuals involved in illegal land allocations and sales, warning that those found breaking the law will be arrested and prosecuted.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Minister of Local Government and Public Works Daniel Garwe condemned the continued illegal occupation, subdivision and sale of State, local authority and communal land, accusing land barons, traditional leaders and other individuals of undermining government authority and the rule of law.
Confirmed details from the source coverage
He said the illegal occupation, subdivision and sale of land without lawful authority had fuelled the growth of unplanned settlements, damaged public infrastructure, degraded the environment, triggered land disputes and defrauded home seekers.
Garwe warned that village heads found participating in or benefiting from illegal land sales would face arrest, prosecution and, upon conviction, removal from office in terms of the Constitution and the Traditional Leaders Act.
He said multi-agency enforcement teams comprising law enforcement agencies, local authorities and the Chiefs Council of Zimbabwe had been established to identify, investigate and dismantle criminal networks involved in illegal land allocations and settlements.
Minister Daniel Garwe Sikhumbuzo Moyo, [email protected] TRADITIONAL leaders found illegally parcelling out land alongside land barons will face arrest and prosecution, while those convicted will be removed from office in terms of the Constitution and the Traditional Leaders Act, Government has warned.
Context that stayed inside the record
The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works has issued a strong warning against the continued illegal occupation, subdivision and sale of State, local authority and communal land, describing the practice as a criminal enterprise that has fuelled disorderly settlements, environmental degradation and widespread fraud.
In a statement, the ministry said the era of lawlessness in land administration was over and that Government had intensified enforcement operations nationwide to eliminate illegal land dealers and restore order.
He said illegal land allocations had resulted in the destruction of public infrastructure, environmental damage, land disputes and the defrauding of unsuspecting home seekers.
Government has deployed robust enforcement measures to decisively eradicate land barons and all persons facilitating illegal land transactions.
