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Luthando Mapepa Chipinge Correspondent
Chipinge Youth Housing Scheme has begun a verification exercise to ascertain the number of stands it could have lost in a suspected scam involving former Zanu-PF Manicaland provincial youth chairperson Mubuso Chinguno last year. The verification exercise saw scores of youths thronging Chipinge Town Council’s open space last week to authenticate the subscriptions that ought to qualify them for stands.

Vice chairperson of the scheme Mr Ashirai Mawere told The Herald that the exercise was meant to validate the number of people that had been duped.

He said individuals that have been implicated in the scam will be brought to book.
“Yes, I can confirm that we have begun a verification exercise aimed at identifying the youths who were swindled last year by former youth chair (Cde Chinguno),” said Mr Mawere.

“Since the beginning of this week, we have registered over 1 500 who were paying subscriptions but did not get their stands.
“The affected youths are from all five Chipinge constituencies and the number continues to swell. After the exercise, we will then convene a meeting with all the victims and expose those involved in misappropriating their funds.”

In 2016, Chipinge youths were allocated 350 hectares of land at Retveil Farm in Chipinge, while Chipinge Rural District Council availed 50 hectares at Checheche Growth Point for youth projects.

The stands were expected to benefit over 10 000 youths, but the programme went off the rails after the former youth chairperson allegedly embezzled over $400 000.

Mr Mawere said youths duped of their stands should not lose hope, as they would recover them.
“What was stolen is money, not land, so there is no way we cannot be allocated our stands,” he said. “Once we finish capturing information and updating the database, we will sit down with all stakeholders to find ways of resuming serving the stands.”