Epworth residents’ associations accused of derailing Presidential title deeds programme

By Correspondent

Residents’ associations in the dormitory settlement of Epworth, south east of Harare, are being accused of derailing the Presidential title deeds programme which is aimed at securing property rights for homeowners in areas previously referred to as informal settlements.

They are accused of frustrating the development efforts by the President through encouraging residents not to follow the local government directive on regularization of residential stands.

The associations which are being accused of undermining the programme are Kushinga Epworth Residents Trust (KERT) and Epworth Urban Residents Association (EURA).

They are also accused of giving false information of the Regularization Exercise, instructing residents not to follow the gazetted laws set by the local government ministry and the Epworth Local Authority which states that one individual is entitled to one residential stand.

The residents’ associations are allegedly persuading residents not to comply with the Epworth Local Authority’s regulations in the formalization of illegal settlements in the area through the regularisation programme which is meant to secure proper housing documentation for residents under the ED Title Deeds Programme.

The residents’ associations are accused of defrauding unsuspecting residents of their hard earned money by making them pay undisclosed amounts of money promising them to get larger space of land and multiple stands in contradiction of Government’s housing laws in contrast of the approved layout map plan approved by the Surveyor General which the Epworth Local Board is using to formailse the settlement in the regularisation programme.

Epworth Local Authority Housing Director Mr. Dennis Muranduri accused the residents’ associations of confusing residents by misleading them that the Epworth Local Authority was using a wrong layout map thereby influencing them to challenge the exercise at the courts – in the process derailing the Presidential housing initiative.

Muranduri said that the residents’ associations are sponsoring litigation against the regularisation exercise and attempting to use blackmail and threats against public officials at the local authority.

“They are dubious residents’ associations namely Kushinga Epworth Residents Trust and Epworth Urban Residents Association who are allegedly defrauding residents of their hard earned money promising them that the Regularisation will be reversed and also confusing residents that the Epworth Local Authority and the Government of Zimbabwe area not following correct procedures in the Regularisation exercise,” said Muranduri.

“These residents. associations are sponsoring litigation against the regularisation programme and are using blackmail as threats against public officials at our offices.”

The residents’ associations’ representatives are accused of embarking on a campaign to influence residents not to pay rates and bills until the entire Epworth Local Authority Administration is fired and replaced by their preferred officials.

“They have initiated a campaign influencing people not to pay their bills until the whole Epworth Local Board Administration is fired and replaced by aspiring officials in the Residents Trusts organogram,” he said.

In a more shocking incident the residents’ associations allegedly invaded land which was reserved for the construction of a district hospital in the Robert Mugabe Area in Epworth and started illegally parceling out the land without council approval.

However, after the Surveyor General had completed the lay out plan for the Regularisation Programme it was discovered that the area, which was invaded by the residents’ associations, was meant for a district hospital as a result many families which had been allocated land by the misleading trusts were left in shock and are now looking up to council for help.

“These associations led the invasion of the hospital Site after misrepresenting that the land was for residential purposes and started to parcel out land to their relatives and their members without Council Approval,” Muranduri said.

“When the final lay out plan map was presented by the Surveyor General; it was discovered that the area they had invaded was reserved for a district hospital.”

When contacted for comment the Coordinator of Kushinga Epworth Residents Association (KERT) John Mabwe denied the allegations saying he is not moved by allegations from unprofessional cowards. Mabwe however, directed all questions to the chairperson of KERT

“I don’t care if you label me a corrupt person, all those at the local authority are unprofessional, they don’t know anything about administration, they are just not professional,” said Mabwe.

“Please speak to Mr. Zhou for further information, me myself as a professional, I cannot waste my time commenting on unprofessional people who are at the Epworth Local Board. Kindly speak to the chairman.”

However, efforts to get a comment from Zhou were unfruitful as his mobile phone went unavailable.