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Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
CHITUNGWIZA municipality has refuted claims being peddled on social media that Provincial Development Coordinator (PDC) Mr Tafadzwa Muguti illegally acquired a stand in Chitungwiza.

Mr Muguti was only appointed to the office of the Provincial Coordinator on September 1, 2020.

Acting town clerk Mrs Evangelista Machona said they noted with utter dismay and disgust the ongoing cyberbullying and blackmailing aimed at character assassinating the person of Mr Muguti.

Mrs Machona said Mr Muguti does not own land in Chitungiwza and news circulating on social media was fake and disappointing as it was not verified with the local authority.

“Let it be known that it is not a crime to be written an offer letter by council, as the letter states it is simply an offer  which one can turn down or accept,” she said.

“As a resident and someone who grew up in Chitungwiza, he qualifies for an offer and there is nothing criminal about that. We therefore want to set the record straight that Mr Muguti was purportedly offered the said stand on the 11th July 2019 which offer took place well before he was even appointed as the Provincial Development Coordinator.”

Mrs Machona said it must be noted that Mr Muguti actually applied under his company for land to build a maize milling plant in Chitungwiza.

“He started asking for land as early as 2017 as a potential investor to Chitungwiza whilst based in South Africa. When he relocated to Zimbabwe he continued to pursue his application and as a potential investor he wanted to partner Council in the industrial park area.

“Unfortunately, it was discovered after he had made his initial payment upon visiting the site that the area was inhabitable and was invaded by sand poachers on the periphery of the industrial area. Like any other victims who have been allocated land at undesignated and illegal sites such as on top of sewer lines, below power lines, wetlands and road servitude council is going to refund him what he has paid.”

Mr Muguti is on record on more than one occasion in media briefings always referring to his encounter with poor service delivery experience and how he was treated as a potential investor by the local authority.

Mrs Machona said it was therefore baseless and unfounded that Mr Muguti owns land in Chitungwiza.

She said Chitungwiza Municipality does not have any agreement of sale or signed lease agreement with Mr Muguti.

Mrs Machona also said that there was no way that Mr Muguti, whom at the time of offer was just a prospective investor would have bullied council officials let alone abuse an office that he was not even aware he was going to be appointed.