By A Correspondent

Residents’ associations in the dormitory settlement of Epworth have
lodged a fresh appeal at the High Court challenging the presidential
tittle deeds programme (KWANGU/NGAKWAMI)after the first appeal was
dismissed for failing to rectify their query within the specified
timeframe.

In their fresh appeal to be heard at the High Court this Thursday,
Kushinga Sinamane Development Fund is accusing the Epworth Local Board
of improperly conducting the regularisation exercise.

Part of the appeal reads:

“Take Notice that the above Ordinary Chamber application will be heard
and determined by the High Court of Zimbabwe at Harare before
Honorable Justice Musithu on Thursday the 9th of October 2025 at 10:00
or soon theafter as counsel may be heard.”

The residents’ association had their previous application thrown out
after failing to rectify their query on time. In dismissing the
Residents Association application, the High Court ruled that:

“In terms of Rule 60(16), High Court Rules 2021, you were supposed to
rectify the query on or before Wednesday the 16th day of October 2024,
We note that the query was not rectified. In terms of Rule 60(17),
High Court rules 2021 the matter is hereby dismissed. Should you be
grieved by this decision you will find recourse in the rules of the
court.”

However, the residents’ associations are being accused by the Epworth
Local Board of derailing the Presidential title deeds programme which
is aimed at securing property rights for homeowners in areas
previously referred to as informal settlements of Epworth

They are being accused of frustrating the development efforts by the
President through encouraging residents not to follow the local
government directive on regularization of residential stands.

The associations which are being accused of undermining the programme
are Kushinga Epworth Residents Trust (KERT) and Epworth Urban
Residents Association (EURA).

They are also accused of giving false information of the
regularization exercise, instructing residents not to follow the
gazetted laws set by the local government ministry and the Epworth
Local Authority which states that one individual is entitled to one
residential stand.

The residents’ associations are allegedly persuading residents not to
comply with the Epworth Local Authority’s regulations in the
formalization of illegal settlements in the area through the
regularization programme which is meant to secure proper housing
documentation for residents under the ED Title Deeds Programme.

The residents’ associations are accused of defrauding unsuspecting
residents of their hard earned money by making them pay undisclosed
amounts of money promising them to get larger space of land and
multiple stands in contradiction of Government’s housing laws in
contrast of the approved layout map plan approved by the Surveyor
General which the Epworth Local Board is using to formailse the
settlement in the regularisation programme.

Epworth Local Authority Housing Director Mr. Dennis Muranduri accused
the residents’ associations of confusing residents by misleading them
that the Epworth Local Authority was using a wrong layout map thereby
influencing them to challenge the exercise at the courts – in the
process derailing the Presidential housing initiative.

Muranduri said that the residents’ associations are sponsoring
litigation against the regularisation exercise and attempting to use
blackmail and threats against public officials at the local authority.

“They are dubious residents’ associations namely Kushinga Epworth
Residents Trust and Epworth Urban Residents Association who are
allegedly defrauding residents of their hard earned money promising
them that the regularisation will be reversed and also confusing
residents that the Epworth Local Authority and the Government of
Zimbabwe area not following correct procedures in the Regularisation
exercise,” said Muranduri.

“These residents. associations are sponsoring litigation against the
regularisation programme and are using blackmail as threats against
public officials at our offices.”

The residents’ associations’ representatives are accused of embarking
on a campaign to influence residents not to pay rates and bills until
the entire Epworth Local Authority Administration is fired and
replaced by their preferred officials.

“They have initiated a campaign influencing people not to pay their
bills until the whole Epworth Local Board Administration is fired and
replaced by aspiring officials in the Residents Trusts organogram,”
said Muranduri.

In a more shocking incident the residents’ associations allegedly
invaded land which was reserved for the construction of a district
hospital in the Robert Mugabe Area in Epworth and started illegally
parceling out the land without council approval.

However, after the Surveyor General had completed the lay out plan for
the regularisation programme it was discovered that the area, which
was invaded by the residents’ associations, was meant for a district
hospital as a result many families which had been allocated land by
the misleading trusts were left in shock and are now looking up to
council for help.

“These associations led the invasion of the hospital site after
misrepresenting that the land was for residential purposes and started
to parcel out land to their relatives and their members without
council approval,” Muranduri said.

“When the final lay out plan map was presented by the Surveyor
General; it was discovered that the area they had invaded was reserved
for a district hospital.”