Key points
- A 14-day sweep found 11,650 hectares sold illegally, implicating over 3,000 village heads.
- Village heads who ignored invasions face suspension and arrest.
- Muguti says only the President has immunity from arrest.
Local Government and Public Works Permanent Secretary Tafadzwa Muguti says more than 3,000 village heads face arrest for illegally parcelling and selling communal and State land in Zimbabwe.
The village heads were flagged during a rapid 14-day national sweep conducted while Muguti was Permanent Secretary for Presidential Affairs and Devolution.
The sweep uncovered 11,650 hectares of land that had been unlawfully sold in the most affected areas. Zimbabwe has more than 35,000 village heads.
Muguti spoke on Tuesday in Harare at a meeting with chairpersons of Provincial Assemblies of Chiefs, directors of local government services and district development coordinators.
He warned that the crackdown will intensify now that he has moved full time to the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.
“There are over 3,000 of them, and fortunately I have now arrived, so we will soon start arresting them,” he said.
Looking away counts too
Village heads who did not directly receive money will not be spared if they ignored illegal occupations.
“Any village head who is involved, or who failed to report an invasion to the headman, chief, or police, and simply allowed it to happen, is equally guilty of dereliction of duty,” he said.
“Corruption takes two forms: receiving a bribe, or looking the other way.”
The ministry will suspend village heads in villages where stands have been pegged without being reported, or where leaders live alongside illegal settlers. Those found guilty will be arrested.
No immunity for traditional leaders
Muguti dismissed the belief that traditional leaders cannot be prosecuted. “The only person with immunity from arrest in this country is the President. Everyone else must answer for themselves in court,” he said.
In addition, the ministry has set up its first Department of Research and Investigations to examine chieftainship disputes, service delivery complaints and criminal allegations against traditional leaders.
