Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe says innocent homebuyers should not lose their homes because of illegal land deals, revealing that he personally intervened to stop demolitions and has pushed for improved infrastructure in affected settlements.
Garwe said he took a deliberate stand against the destruction of people’s homes, questioning where affected families would go if their houses were demolished.
“…ndakaenda ndega ndikanozvimisa ndikati musapwanyire vanhu dzimba modavagare kupi,” Garwe said, drawing applause from the audience.
The minister said the responsibility for illegal land transactions should rest with those who unlawfully sold residential stands rather than the people who purchased them.
He invoked the biblical account of Jesus challenging a crowd preparing to stone a woman accused of wrongdoing, arguing that people should not be condemned without considering their circumstances.
“Saka kana munhu akatengeserwa nzvimbo zvisiri pamutemo, akatenga haana mhosva, ane mhosva ndiye akamutengesera (If someone is sold land illegally, the buyer is not at fault. The person at fault is the one who sold it),” he said.
Garwe said the government, under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s leadership, was working with local authorities to address infrastructure challenges in settlements where residents had already established homes.
He said the Ministry of Local Government had been tasked with supporting councils to develop roads and improve conditions in these communities while establishing the number of people living in affected areas.
The approach, he explained, involved identifying residents and documenting their occupation as authorities worked towards addressing the challenges facing the settlements.
In separate remarks at a Zanu PF meeting, Garwe reinforced his position, making it clear that Mnangagwa’s directive to clean up Zimbabwe’s towns and cities was never intended to justify the destruction of people’s homes and livelihoods.
“Kuchenesa hazvirevi kuti pwanyai dzimba dzevanhu. Kwete, bodo!” Garwe declared.
He said the President’s directive, which had also been discussed in Cabinet, was aimed at restoring cleanliness, orderliness and dignity in urban areas.
“…vakati ngatichenesei nyika yedu,” Garwe said, explaining that Mnangagwa wanted Zimbabweans to live in clean, orderly environments.
The minister said improving the appearance of towns and cities would benefit residents while also creating a welcoming environment for visitors.
He emphasised that restoring order should not be confused with indiscriminate demolitions, drawing a distinction between protecting residential homes and enforcing regulations against trading in prohibited areas.
Garwe said the clean-up exercise was intended to address activities taking place in unauthorised public spaces, rather than punish families who had invested in building homes.
His remarks underline a distinction between holding illegal land sellers accountable and protecting homebuyers who may have acquired residential stands without knowing that the transactions were unlawful.
Garwe also urged councillors and local authorities to take the lead in improving conditions in their communities, saying leadership must be demonstrated through action.
He said the government would continue working with councils to improve roads and other infrastructure in settlements already occupied by residents, while ensuring that efforts to restore order did not leave families without homes.
