Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities Daniel Garwe and Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume have publicly joined forces to dismantle a sophisticated land-looting syndicate that has allegedly been operating at the heart of the City of Harare.
The unprecedented alliance comes as a leaked High Court document has unmasked the four corporate entities central to the scheme, which saw valuable municipal land signed away through a legal maneuver known as "self-suing.
"The document, an Urgent Chamber Application for Interdict (Case No. HCH3531/25), obtained exclusively by this publication, names the four companies that successfully cornered the City Council into a controversial "consent order" on July 23, 2025."This is a cancer that we must excise immediately.
The people of Harare deserve transparency, not backroom deals," said Mayor Mafume. "We are now working hand-in-glove with the Ministry and ZACC to ensure every single person involved in this betrayal is brought to justice."The Corporate Fronts UnmaskedThe leaked High Court order, issued by Honourable Mr. Justice Mawadze, provides the first concrete evidence of the syndicate's operational structure.
The four companies, which sought and obtained the consent order, are, Company Name Role in Syndicate Clean Burn Energy (Pvt) Ltd alleged Proxy for Land Acquisition Gemdale Investments (Pvt) Ltd Alleged Proxy for Land Acquisition Diexodos Marketing (Pvt) Ltd Alleged Proxy for Land AcquisitionAsprite Elite Incorporated (Pvt) LtdAlleged Proxy for Land AcquisitionThe court record confirms that these entities, represented by B.T. Kazembe, moved against the City of Harare and the Acting Valuations and Estates Manager (Mr. Dube N.O.). The resulting "ORDERED BY CONSENT" ruling effectively interdicted the City of Harare from allocating Stands 41770 to 41772 and the remainder of Stand 41567 in Harare Township to any other person.
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The Garwe-Mafume pact Minister Garwe, who first blew the whistle on the "self-suing" mechanism, praised the Mayor's commitment to clean governance.
"My initial allegations were based on intelligence, but this court document is the smoking gun,.
"The fact that Mayor Mafume is now fully cooperating, providing internal documents and committing the Council to a full forensic audit shows a true dedication to public service. This is not about politics,it is about protecting the assets of the nation’s capital."The "consent order" mechanism, which allowed the City Council to effectively surrender high-value stands without a rigorous defense or public tender process, is now the central focus of a massive investigation by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC).
ZACC investigators are reportedly using the names of the four unmasked companies to trace shareholding records at the Deeds Office.
The goal is to follow the paper trail and identify the ultimate beneficiaries of the land grab, which preliminary reports suggest link to a small "inner circle" of individuals who may have manipulated the Council's legal department.
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