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Sen Mahofa

George Maponga Masvingo Bureau
Government has ordered investigations into several chiefs in Masvingo rural district who have been conducting illegal land sales in former commercial farming areas.

The chiefs, together with village heads in the district, were making a killing by charging large sums of money or livestock to land-hungry villagers from other districts like Zaka, Bikita and Gutu.

The illegal land sales sparked a population explosion in several former commercial farms that were acquired by Government under the land redistribution exercise, especially in the Masvingo East farming district.

Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs Senator Shuvai Mahofa said the Masvingo district lands committee was seized with investigating the traditional leaders in question.

She said a report would be submitted to her office once investigations have been completed.

“The Masvingo district lands committee is indeed investigating some traditional leaders accused of conducting illegal land sales in former commercial farming areas, but it is too early for me to say much because the matter is still under investigation,’’ she said.

“Once the investigations have been completed, they will bring a full report to my office as the Provincial Affairs Minister who also happens to be chair of the provincial lands committee.”

Senator Mahofa said it was too early to disclose the course of action that would be taken against traditional leaders found guilty of conducting the illegal land sales.

She said the matter would be best handled by the newly created Ministry of Rural Development, Preservation and Promotion of Culture and Heritage that was now in charge of traditional leaders’ affairs.

Rampant illegal lands sales in Masvingo district have created unprecedented population pressure that is blamed for causing high siltation in Lake Mutirikwi, which is Zimbabwe’s largest inland water body.

The siltation of the lake threatens the residents of the Masvingo city with water shortages since it is their sole supplier.

Sugar plantations in the Lowveld also depend on the lake for water for irrigation.