By Dumisani Ndlovu
The tough anti-corruption talks by the Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa is bearing fruits since it is now accompanied by concrete action to arrest alleged corrupt individuals regardless of status.
The hard-hitting corruption curbing signs has seen Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Land, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Prof. Dr Obert Jiri walking the talk on Saturday where he threatened to expose land official who are implicated in shoddy land deals.
Prof Jiri said who partially named and shamed a few individuals by reading powerful complaint letters which he said were directed to his offices, implicating some corrupt land officials from across the nation.
Addressing district and provincial land officers and cartographers at Zanu PF Convention Centre he hinted that those implicated might be expelled from their jobs for their actions if an inquiry proves the allegations to be true.
“Allegations of corruption or bribery are now rife. That should stop. Land officers are gate keepers, hence must stay free from corruption. I received a complaint letter from a Zimbabwean in the diaspora claiming he bought land from an official from the land and was awaiting an offer letter from the land officials. That is not proper and that is not how we operate, only the Minister of land has the mandate to allocate offer letters,” said Prof. Jiri.
He said it is quite embarrassing to find that there are some land officers who offer letters to an already offered land.
“Giving an offer letter on top of another offer letter should stop,” he said.
He mentioned quit a number of districts where corruption is rife.
“In Chitungwiza an old man has offer letter acquired in 2007, someone with a 2023 offer letter demands that he vacate the land. Offer letters are sacred document it must not be tempered with. In a 50 hectare plot you find a Land office pegging a 5-hectare piece of land for someone. How is that possible,” he questioned.
“The Mvuma case must be sorted out, may you, the legal team deal with it once and for all. We can’t have a DCC who seats in the land committee complaining about a land officer. Chipinge and Nyanga cases must also be sorted out. Insiza case must be dealt with and in Mash Central where land seekers are made to pay UsS$100 each. Let them arrested. Legislator must craft laws that will make them rot in prison or have heft fines for offender found wanting because the land is our heritage,” boldly said Prof. Jiri.
He said the Ministry is aware of fake letters being used by some famers. He urged his legal team to help farmers authentic land documents and curb such corrupt tendencies.
“Some offer letter has no records found in our officer, the people behind the illicit dealings can use fake stamps and fake signatures of our land officers. You find some on a piece of land with fake letters while waiting for regularisation by a land officer. That is highly un called for. We cannot continue like that; our own land officials being fingered on land deals. That should come to an end as it is against the second republic’s vison,” he said.
The President’s bold anti-corruption posture has also manifested in Gweru and Shurugwi as former Zanu PF councillor and losing parliamentary candidate, Charles Simbi recently got arrest for fraud after allegedly forging land ownership papers in a bid to seize mining claims at a farm just outside Gweru. He will appear in court soon.
The bold permanent secretary said it was the duty of the ministry to fight corruption in the country and hinted that the accused might be expelled from the Ministry for their image tarnishing actions if found wanting. He said it is his duty to fight corruption in line with the President’s vison.
“Corruption has become a culture and it must end in our ministry. We want ours to be one of the best ministries in the country by ending this cancer called corruption,” Prof. Jiri said.
