Bulawayo residents are up in arms after revelations that Prophet Walter Magaya’s Douglasdale Housing Project—once touted as a life-changing investment for thousands—has allegedly turned into a massive scam. What was marketed as a dream home opportunity has become a nightmare for many who sold their properties and poured their life savings into the venture.
The Douglasdale project, launched under Magaya’s Planet Africa Housing Scheme, promised fully serviced stands and modern homes for church members and ordinary citizens. Buyers were told to pay around US$4,000 upfront, followed by flexible instalments, to secure their new homes in Bulawayo’s expanding suburbs. Years later, victims claim there are no houses, no water, no roads, and—worst of all—no refunds.
One heartbroken woman says she sold her only house in 2017 to join the project, hoping to live in a decent home “built by a man of God.” Today she’s homeless. “I trusted him as a prophet. I never thought a church project could do this to people,” she said tearfully.
Dozens of others have filed complaints and lawsuits after discovering the land was never fully serviced or legally approved. Some say they were given empty promises and fake assurances during church meetings. Legal experts say the matter could explode into one of Zimbabwe’s biggest housing fraud scandals in recent years.
In May 2024, Magaya quietly reached an out-of-court settlement with one of the victims who had paid US$4,100 but never received a stand. Many now accuse him of paying off individual complainants to silence the growing outrage.
Meanwhile, authorities in Umguza and Bulawayo have been urged to investigate the validity of the Douglasdale land allocations, amid fears that thousands of church followers could have been defrauded.
? Social media has erupted with the hashtag #DouglasdaleScam, with many calling on Magaya to “face justice and return people’s money.” What started as a promise of faith and prosperity has now left hundreds of believers with shattered dreams and empty pockets.
