By Jane Mlambo| Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) has submitted its opposition to the plans by their municipality to lease out 3.5 hectares of land to Mayor Solomon Mguni for a monthly rental of ZWL$165.00 per month.
In its letter to Bulawayo Town Clerk, the residents group accused the Mayor of abusing his privilege and access to information to grant himself land.
They accused their local authority of using outdated bylaws to benefit themselves at the expense of landless residents.
Below is part of the letter…
Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association would like to submit its objection to the proposal by Bulawayo City Council to lease Lot 3 of Lot 3 Lower Rangemore in extent approximately 3.5 hectares to His Worship Mayor Councillor Solomon Mguni for urban agricultural activities at a monthly rental of ZWL$165 for 25years. This offer was made in line with Council resolution from subcommittee on allocation of stands and premises for development held on the 4th of March 2020.
It is the submission of BPRA that the Mayor used his privileged access of information to make an application for the said property which initially belonged to one P. Phakathi who was later dispossessed of the stand by BCC after failing to develop it. The Mayor being privy to this information then used his influence to get the committee on allocation of stands and premises for development to grant him the land for a song.
BPRA is further concerned by the continued reliance on outdated bylaws by Bulawayo City Council. These outdated bylaws that have not been reviewed for decades continue to be the sole basis and partial justification for corruption gains and deals. As such it is the submission of BPRA that while the process might have satisfied both legal and institutional provisions, such unsound laws cannot guarantee just outcomes.
It is a neutral of public trust for the Mayor to be given such a huge portion of land at a time when the majority of the residents that the Mayor represents are landless and have been victims of social injustice for many years. This act is a subset of injustice and a violation of the obligations of fairness for private gain and a betrayal of public trust.