Mother Of Budiriro Boy (6) Swept Away By Floods Threatened By Land Barons

A woman whose six-year-old son was swept away and killed by the floods in Budiriro last week has said she was being threatened by land barons.

The woman, who chose to identify herself as Shildah, told The Herald that she had to seek shelter at Budiriro 3 Primary School because she was being threatened by land barons for reporting that her son was swept away by the floods. She said:

I am being threatened on why I reported that my child was swept away by the floods. I was being blocked on the roads and from having access to basic necessities.

The body of the boy was recovered some 5km downstream from her place of residence on Wednesday.

Land barons, most of whom are linked to ZANU PF, have been illegally selling council and State land to home seekers over the years.

Last week, ZANU PF distanced itself from land barons illegally parcelling out land in different parts of the country using its name and demanded that law enforcement agencies ensure that the law takes its course.

In a statement, ZANU PF acting secretary-general Patrick Chinamasa said that the ruling party did not condone the unlawful land occupations and illegal activities of land barons.

Harare Residents Trust (HRT) director, Precious Shumba, recently told NewsDay that land barons were to blame for flooding in Budiriro this month which affected several families. Said Shumba:

Flooding is predictable in wetlands and low-lying areas such as Budiriro.

With all that knowledge, corrupt people in both council and the government have been collaborating with land barons to allocate people residential stands on the wetlands and water pathways without any consideration of the impacts of their actions.

If you visit and interview some of the victims, they reveal that identified council officials have misled the City of Harare by collecting money from the land barons and promising the desperate home seekers that nothing will happen to them.

More: Pindula News