MPs Awarded Prime Harare Land Amid Corruption Allegations and Housing Loan Controversy

Barely two years after receiving US$40,000 each in housing loans, Zimbabwean Members of Parliament (MPs) including some from the previous Parliament are now set to receive upmarket residential stands in Harare’s affluent suburbs of Marlborough, Borrowdale Central, and Greystone Park. The land, initially earmarked for a community centre, is being reallocated under a controversial initiative led by the Ministry of Local Government.

According to Zanu PF Chief Whip Pupurai Togarepi, the move is part of a broader government effort to allocate residential land to MPs across cities and provinces. The stated goal is to reduce the government’s expenditure on hotel accommodation for legislators. “The MPs will pay for the stands,” Togarepi said, framing the initiative as a cost-saving measure rather than a handout.

Among the recipients are members of the opposition, including Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Bridget Nyandoro, affiliated with a faction led by self-proclaimed Secretary General Sengezo Tshabangu. The involvement of opposition MPs in the scheme has raised eyebrows, given its timing and the political climate.

Critics view the land allocation as yet another perk in a string of generous benefits MPs have enjoyed since President Emmerson Mnangagwa came to power. These include housing loans, increased allowances, and even exemption from tollgate fees. The latest allocation has been widely interpreted as an attempt to placate legislators amid growing calls for accountability at the highest levels of government.

Just days before news of the land handout broke, vocal war veteran Blessed Geza publicly called for President Mnangagwa’s resignation, accusing him of enabling widespread corruption. Geza also vowed to push for the president’s impeachment, fueling speculation that the land scheme may be a strategic move to secure parliamentary loyalty.

Adding to the controversy is the fact that some MPs received a minimum of US$40,000 in 2022 under a similar housing loan scheme, while Cabinet Ministers were awarded US$500,000 each. These allocations, presented as official housing support, have been widely criticized as excessive and lacking transparency.

Marondera Central MP Caston Matewu, whose name appeared on a list of beneficiaries, publicly distanced himself from the scheme. “While I was on the list of a Parliamentary Housing Scheme, I did not accept it. I did not take or grab any land as alluded to,” Matewu stated on social media.