Two ZANU PF Land Barons Arrested In US$1.5 Million Scam

Two senior ZANU PF officials from Hopley have been arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) for allegedly defrauding home seekers of US$1.5 million in a land scandal.

Phinias Muchichwa (41), the ZANU PF chairperson for the Godfrey Chidyausiku District, and Anderson Frendson (37), the party’s branch security chief for the Josiah Magama Branch, are accused of illegally allocating privately owned land to unsuspecting individuals.

ZACC spokesperson Simiso Mlevu said the two allegedly subdivided Stand 34 in Tariro Township, Hopley, a 9.3-hectare piece of land owned by Sunshine Developments (Pvt) Ltd, into more than 200 residential stands, which they sold for around US$300 each.

The land was reportedly sold without the knowledge or consent of its owner.

Muchichwa and Frendson are said to have targeted fellow party members and other desperate home seekers in the area, taking advantage of the severe housing shortage in Harare.

The two were expected to appear in court yesterday, 6 October 2025, to be formally charged with fraud.

ZACC said investigations are still ongoing, adding that more arrests could follow as additional victims come forward.

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