Zimbabwe’s Minister of Local Government Ignatius Chombo is preparing to hand over Mutare’s prestigious Meikles Park to Chinese merchants, it has emerged.
This revelation comes following the below letter penned by former mayor Brian James who writes expressing concern for this development. Contacted for comment Mutare council’s City Housing Director, Mr. Mapurisa, confirmed that the city is critically short of land for development, both commercial and residential but this project appears to be going ahead regardless.
Open letter to Hon Member of Parliament (Mutare Central) Mr. Innocent Gonese
By Brian James
Further to our brief telephone conversation yesterday I submit details of the Govt. proposed intention with the City’s (Mutare) Meikles Park. We ask if you could, with your influence in Parliament, lobby for its retention as a public space for the benefit of all Mutareans and their visitors.
Some years ago the government, through the local Govt Min. Chombo, indicated to the City Management that they had identified Meikles Park in Mutare for development in “the national interest’, and Council was directed by Min. Chombo to hand Meikles Park over to the Govt. They proposed a land swap of Meikles Park for state land surrounding the Dangamvura link road turn off. It was their intention to give/ sell Meikles Park to Angin and their Zimbabwean military partners for the development of a 14 story hotel and supermarket complex.
To date no indication has been given as to the exact nature of the ‘national interest’ mentioned, and many of us fail to understand how a purely private commercial enterprise can constitute such ‘national interest’.
Several petitions objecting to this deal, the misuse of our City’s donated public space (Meikles Park), and the abuse of state land for private gain, were handed in to Council earlier this year. Despite these we have recently been informed by the City Housing Director, Mr. Mapurisa, that because the city is critically short of land for development, both commercial and residential that this project appears to be going ahead regardless.
Some would argue that the City needs the development for job creation etc etc and on that we fully concur. However, it was pointed out to the Minister and those supporting this sale that other sights are in fact available for this sort of development, one of which is the ground opposite the main swimming baths on which a Sakunda Service station has been built (there is still room to accommodate a hotel alongside the garage). Another site would be on the very state land that government has offered to swap with council, as it is envisaged that this state land would be the start of a second central business district.
Meikles Park is to Mutarean residents what Unity Square is to Harareans and Centenary Square to the Bulawayo residents. Without this public space, Mutareans would be prejudiced of central city space for large social events, and workers within the CBD would be denied relaxation space during the day.
The Housing Director, in his feeble attempt to justify this project, stated that the City had no where to expand! He stated that the western expansion to the Odzi river through Transsau Estate had been blocked by the resettlement of Chiadzwa inhabitants. This is not entirely correct, as the resettlement only takes up a small portion of the Transsau Estate and in due course this resettlement would be incorporated into the city’s authoritative area. The Housing Director also stated that Northerly expansion had been blocked by the resettlement of communal farmers on former commercial land, and that this now prohibits urban expansion! This cannot be true as this principal would stifle all urban expansion within the country.
We urge you take up this matter with the utmost urgency as we believe that the land swap is imminent, if not already enacted. We are already initiating further petitions and public awareness and would urge you to do the same.
Best regards,
Brian James.
11 Replies to ““Chombo Giving Meikles Park to Chinese””
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HEZVO-KA on Mon, 25th Nov 2013 2:55 pm. The British and Americans do not just senselessly take things. That’s why they left those squares, open spaces and wetlands. The Chinese have left unparalleled environmental degradation on their massive Chiyadzwa mines, they have heavily polluted local rivers right into Save. Besides beating and not paying employees, dogs and tortoises have not been spared of this ruthlessness. All the billions worth of diamonds they have taken, why do you, HEZVO-KA, think they need the small Meikles park for? Go to racist China right now and try to have just a piece of land to live and grow veggies on. Being black, HEZVO-KA, you will be treated like one of the dogs that they skin and eat. Do not compare China with Britain and China. Britain and USA were colonizers. China are thieves. Do not support what you do not know.
When Lobengula signed the Rudd consessiona and grant mining rights to the British we all, in hind sight, say he was foolish. 100 years later, we run away from the whites to the Chinese, we sign similar treaties with them. We will wait another few years to fight against this and call the ZPF gvt stupid. So why why why why are we circular and repeat same errors?
My apologies kamudhosvo – my remark is targeted at the fool he-zvoka – who does not acknowledge that if the British had wanted to take it and use it differently they would have.
@Kamudhosvo – irrelevant because there was recognition of the need for public space in a city center that is why it was kept that way. This is a fact that these stupid leaders do not recognize that you are left with nothing that can be considered common wealth.
Any well planned city has what is called an urban space but of course ignorant of good planning, this is not important. There are other places the Chinese could have been given- why the heart of town which was used for public events?
Wonder how much is going into chombo secret china account. Harares Cecil square is next. Then bulawayos gardens
Why is it that politicians do as they please, and yet they are Employed by the Citizens of the country, why not Consult with us first, you are in office to represent not to dictate to us.
why chinese have we failed ourselves
Zimbabwe ic being colonised again ohh shame God help,these old people are nw selling our contry dammmmmm
One day in the future our children will be ‘evicting’ the Chinese like Mugabe ‘evicted’ the white farmers. Let us not repeat these terrible events by making wise decisions now. Where in China have Zimbabweans been given land and diamonds like we are giving them in our country….nowhere and one would not dream of even negotiating for land in China. It may seem like great business decisions now but we need to be cautious….our children may have to fight for their land from the Chinese judging by the way things are going in Zimbabwe.
I’m most definite if the park was to be “given” to the British or Americans, all this phoney hullabaloo would NOT be there!!… Mention the Chinese and some hypocritical folks will foam & froth at the mouth in “righteous anger”!!
Chinese are being earmarked for diamonds and other big projects not hair salons.