By Correspondent
Homeseekers for ED, a pressure group for housing, is set for a clash with Marondera Council after accusing the former of incompetence over the Elmswood stands.
Homeseekers4ED has since convened a meeting with residents purporting to have solutions over the long running stands saga.
Meanwhile Council is also running parallel programs to deal with the same issue.
Homeseekers4ED National Vice-Chairperson Farai Nyandoro said every beneficiary is going to get his stand despite amount paid.
“We are making sure all beneficiaries get stands which have been used as a political weapon by opposition-run councils.
Nyandoro said they “want to redress artificial shortages in the allocation of housing stands by opposition-run urban councils.
“Moreover, we are lobbying that the government takes over the allocation of stands.
He said this has been necessitated by a failure by the Marondera Council.
“(It’s) because of the current corruption, sexism, favouritism and nepotism in the allocation of stands by opposition-run councils.
Council Version
Meanwhile Marondera Mayor addressed another gathering at Rudhaka Stadium over the same issue last week.
Murowa said beneficiaries should top up money to cover cost for developing stands.
“We now have land and from the government directive we must not allocate stands which are not serviced.
“As council we will service those stands and calculate the cost and then we come up with the actual price per square metre,” he said.
Murowa said it wasn’t possible to sell well-developed stands at USD$ 1 500.
The divisions have since created confusion among beneficiaries of the Elmswood housing scheme.
In 2015, thousands of home seekers were made to pay various amounts between USD500 and USD1500 for residential stands.
The money was paid at council offices with the local authority saying the homeseekers were to be allocated land at Elmswood.
However, up to now the stands have not been allocated.
A group of disgruntled beneficiaries have since dragged council to court where the local authority in its defence denied ownership of the said land.
Council however admitted in the court papers that they received the money from the plaintiffs.