VICE-PRESIDENT Constantino Chiwenga has threatened to weed out land barons saying they have allegedly invaded and hijacked cooperatives in Zimbabwe.
Speaking at the International day of cooperatives in Bindura yesterday Chiwenga said land barons were selfishly building their own homes corruptly.
“The so called land barons invaded the cooperative structures and hijacked the noble cause of the people to build their own homes, government will leave no stone unturned and will weed out these undesirable elements, Chiwenga said.
“As shown by the appointment of Commission of Inquiry into the Sale of state land and in around urban areas, whose report is now with His Excellency the president (Emmerson Mnangagwa), stern measures will be taken to protect citizens from such dishonest practices,” he added.
The VP said cooperatives built 165 300 houses from 2010 to 2019 and national projects like the urban renewal programme will create employment to many.
“At least 165 300 houses were built throughout the country by cooperatives from 2010 to mid-2019, the president was in Mutare recently commissioning the Sakubva Ubarn Renewal project will directly employ 20 000people and 25 000 indirectly.”
“Take advantage of such big projects, l urge cooperatives not to confine themselves to low income primary production activities , but also venture into value addition in the secondary and tertiary production sector,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chiwenga urged the Zimbabwe National Cooperatives Federation to put preventive measures and guidelines to govern the operations of their members.
