The
villagers
claim
Nkala
began
clearing
land
and
cutting
down
trees
on
a
stand
in
their
area
without
their
consent,
alleging
that
she
acquired
the
land
through
improper
means.
“Our
issue
involves
a
stand
in
Village
6,
Nyandeni.
We
don’t
want
outsiders
to
come
and
settle
here
without
proper
procedure.
If
we
allow
it,
we
fear
our
area
will
end
up
like
others
where
people
from
unknown
places
just
move
in,
while
local
youths
remain
without
land,”
said
one
villager.
Residents
said
they
were
surprised
to
discover
that
the
woman
clearing
the
land
was
the
town
clerk.
“We
were
shocked
to
see
this
woman
clearing
land.
We
later
discovered
she
is
Gwanda
Town
Clerk,
Priscillar
Nkala.
At
first,
we
only
knew
her
as
‘uMaNkala’,”
said
another
villager.
They
accused
Nkala
of
receiving
the
stand
from
a
local
council
employee.
“So
when
those
in
power
are
able
to
peg
stands
for
themselves
and
allocate
stands
as
they
wish,
even
the
person
who
gave
her
the
stand,
who
is
also
a
community
member
here,
works
at
the
council
as
a
parking
marshal.
We
suspect
there
was
money
involved
but
we
don’t
have
proof
for
that,”
said
another
resident.
The
dispute
dates
back
to
last
year,
with
residents
saying
they
have
repeatedly
objected
to
Nkala’s
presence.
“We
have
been
fighting
this
issue
from
last
year.
We
strongly
objected
in
various
meetings
that
we
don’t
want
her
to
settle
here.
We
don’t
want
her
because
when
she
got
here,
we
only
saw
her
cutting
down
trees
with
a
chainsaw.
When
we
asked
which
authority
gave
her
permission,
she
said
she
was
allocated
the
stand
by
Nkulumo
Ncube,
who
is
a
parking
marshal,”
a
villager
said.
Adding
to
the
controversy,
community
member
Nozibusiso
Nyathi
accused
Ncube’s
wife,
who
serves
as
the
community
secretary,
of
altering
meeting
minutes
to
favour
certain
individuals.
“We
really
have
a
big
problem
in
our
village.
We
have
reported
this
issue
to
the
District
Lands
Office
because
we
want
it
resolved.
Some
people
were
previously
arrested
for
pegging
stands
on
their
own.
Afterwards,
the
Ministry
said
no
one
should
peg
stands
until
official
procedures
are
completed,”
said
Nyathi.
She
said
the
community
was
shocked
that
someone
in
a
senior
position
could
receive
a
stand
while
locals
were
barred
from
doing
so.
“The
elders
in
our
community
are
telling
us
that
we
don’t
have
a
say
in
land
issues.
When
Village
6
resettlement
started,
there
were
17
stands
with
leases.
Now
there
are
60,
belonging
mostly
to
young
people
moving
out
of
their
parents’
homes.
But
those
with
leases
claim
we
can’t
make
decisions
about
who
settles
here,”
she
said.
Nyathi
added
that
even
when
the
Ministry
of
Lands
holds
meetings,
officials
only
engage
with
the
17
households
that
have
leases,
sidelining
the
rest
of
the
community.
Meanwhile,
villagers
said
a
community
meeting
was
held
where
the
youth
unanimously
rejected
Nkala’s
settlement.
However,
some
said
they
later
faced
intimidation.
“After
the
meeting,
some
of
us
were
targeted
by
Ncube,
who
threatened
to
beat
us.
When
the
matter
was
reported
to
the
police,
he
apologised
and
said
it
would
not
happen
again.
Now
Nkala
has
returned
with
the
backing
of
two
elders
in
the
community,
against
the
60
stands
who
still
reject
her,”
said
a
villager.
Nyandeni
Village
Head,
Johane
Moyo,
said
he
was
aware
of
the
dispute
and
would
convene
another
meeting
to
resolve
it.
“We
are
fighting
for
our
children
to
get
stands.
Where
will
they
go?”
Moyo
said.
When
contacted
for
comment,
Gwanda
Town
Clerk
Priscillar
Nkala
dismissed
the
allegations
as
exaggerated.
“Where
am
I
building?
I
am
not
building
there,
and
I
cannot
build
there
without
their
consensus.
It’s
an
issue
that
is
being
blown
out
of
proportion
by
people
for
various
reasons
that
they
have,”
Nkala
said.