War veteran dismisses farm dispute

Published: 21 mins ago

War veteran and businessman John Fadzisayi Jani has dismissed reports suggesting that Elmswood Farm in Marondera is under dispute with property developer Swandev (Pvt) Ltd, accusing the Marondera Municipality of deliberately creating confusion over the land's ownership.

Jani, who insists he is the lawful owner of the property, told NewsDay that the local authority has made repeated attempts to seize the farm "through hook or crook" despite clear documentation confirming his ownership.

"The notion that my farm is under contestation with Swandev is false. This is the municipality's own creation to bring confusion in the Elmswood matrix," said Jani.
"Over the years, they have tried every trick to take this farm away from me, but I remain the rightful owner."

He alleged that the late Marondera Ward 12 councillor Kennedy Muraicho, who was a director at Swandev, had worked with the support of former Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere to parcel out residential stands on the farm.

"They tried to peg residential stands at Elmswood Farm, but the move was foiled. Since then, several pseudo property developers have attempted to grab the farm, but I have resisted these attempts," he said.

Jani said he is now moving forward with plans to transform the property into a modern cyber city, revealing that foreign investors have already expressed interest in the project.

"We are moving forward with plans to develop a modern cyber city at Elmswood. Investors are ready, and I intend to transform this farm into a major development hub," he said.

The Marondera Municipality has previously been accused of illegally allocating residential stands on disputed land, with reports that some civil servants were duped into buying plots at Elmswood Farm.

"Some civil servants were misled by the municipality and unfortunately ended up siding with council in this dispute. This has dragged the matter unnecessarily, but the facts are clear - this is my farm," Jani added.

The long-running Elmswood Farm saga has raised questions over land ownership, urban planning procedures, and the role of both private developers and local authorities in controversial land allocations.

Last year, Marondera Municipality released a statement claiming to be the sole legal owner of the farm, denying any form of joint ownership with private entities.

"The Municipality of Marondera would like to clarify that the Elmswood land is wholly owned by council and no part of Elmswood land is owned by any other private developer or entity," the statement read.

However, a letter dated January 27, 2025, from Lands permanent secretary Obert Jiri, confirmed that Jani is the lawful owner of Elmswood Farm, stating that no valid transfer had ever been made to the Local Government ministry or Marondera Municipality under the Lands Act.

Jani has since taken the matter to court, seeking to put an end to what he describes as a prolonged campaign by municipal officials to dispossess him of his land.

"This matter has dragged on for too long, but I trust the courts will uphold the truth," he said.

The case adds another chapter to the growing number of land ownership and allocation disputes that continue to dog local authorities across Zimbabwe.
- newsday

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