By Haruvhikwi Madyira (Masvingo)
Ezra Chadzamira, Zimbabwe’s Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Masvingo, is facing intense public scrutiny following allegations of unlawful land acquisition targeting vulnerable widows in the region.
The most recent dispute centers around Farai Mazenge Mutsetse, a widow who claims Chadzamira illegally seized her 8-hectare plot in Morningside, Masvingo, to construct a private school. Mutsetse, who has occupied the property for over 15 years, maintains that her property rate payments, water bills, and municipal service charges are fully up to date.
Suspicious Disappearance of Public Records
The conflict escalated after crucial property records disappeared from the Masvingo City Council offices. Mutsetse’s legal representatives, Dube Banda Nzarayapenga, filed a High Court application detailing that her complete land ownership file vanished, leaving behind only a single house plan. The defense alleges that this missing documentation points to an intentional attempt by the local authority and the Minister to disenfranchise the legal property holder.
Despite claims by Chadzamira that he legitimately purchased the plot from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, his legal team has failed to present supporting documentation, such as an offer letter, lease agreement, or deed of grant. Meanwhile, active construction on the site has disrupted Mutsetse’s farming and livestock grazing, continuing despite formal reports filed at Rujeko Police Station.
A Broadening Pattern of Dispossession
Legal observers highlight that this case reflects a recurring pattern of behavior. In 2016, Chadzamira was implicated in a similar land grab involving Yvonne Goddard, a 66-year-old widow who was evicted from her Cresta Ibeka farm and home following her husband’s death.
The High Court application seeks to halt all ongoing construction on the Morningside plot, evict the Minister, and compel the Masvingo City Council to release council meeting minutes linked to the transaction. Public outrage over the matter continues to grow as critics call for executive accountability regarding the misuse of political authority for personal property acquisition.
