HARARE – The government is set to crack down on space and land barons who have been illegally allocating stands on State land in urban and peri-urban areas across Zimbabwe, following the unveiling of a new policy aimed at tackling the pervasive issue.
The move comes after a 2019 commission of inquiry revealed massive fraud and theft of State land, valued at an estimated US$3 billion, by prominent politicians and individuals within Zanu PF. The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) recently launched a five-day campaign targeting the illegal parcelling out of urban and communal State land by these land barons.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa, in the foreword to the new Urban State Land Management Policy document, emphasised the government’s recognition of the need to reorganise key aspects of land management. The aim is to optimise planned land delivery and support essential infrastructure development.
“Undeniably, previous models, while going a long way in addressing the historical imbalances of access to urban State land, marginally fell short in this regard and, inadvertently, gave birth to considerable urban sprawl evidenced by the upsurge of irregular and dysfunctional settlements, particularly in the major cities,” Mnangagwa stated.
He further noted that “speculative tendencies and land/space baronism have also played an adverse part in distorting land management in the country.”
The new policy seeks to promote sustainable urban development, improve the quality of life for urban residents, and ensure the effective management of urban land resources. Its overarching vision is to achieve sustainable and efficient management of urban land, promoting orderly development, equitable access, and optimal utilisation of this valuable resource for the benefit of all Zimbabweans.
Specifically, the policy aims to promote health, safety, and quality of life for urban communities through efficient and sustainable urban development. It also seeks to eliminate land and space baronism and protect citizens from fraudulent land deals and resource loss.
Thousands of desperate home-seekers have fallen victim to land barons, losing significant sums of money after purchasing land on State land, only to have their properties demolished by authorities. Over 5,000 houses in Harare are currently facing demolition. While the government halted demolitions last year, citing the need for people to relocate, the new policy signals a more comprehensive approach to addressing the root causes of the problem.
The Urban State Land Management Policy also seeks to curb urban sprawl and promote orderly development, improve institutional coordination, streamline and integrate urban State land management functions, improve the clarity of roles and responsibilities among stakeholders in urban State land management and administration, and establish standardised procedures and guidelines for effective urban State land management operations.
“By implementing this policy, Zimbabwe can achieve sustainable and efficient management of urban land, promoting orderly development, equitable access and optimal utilisation of this valuable resource for the benefit of all citizens,” the government said in a statement.
Local Government and Public Works minister Daniel Garwe highlighted the ministry’s awareness of the ever-changing urban landscape and its unique challenges, given the country’s rapid urbanisation.
“In that vein, the policy provides an integrated one-stop policy and direction for all tiers of government mandated with State land management and administration, consistent with the devolution thrust of the second republic,” Garwe explained.
He expressed confidence that the carefully laid out processes and procedures would lead to a significant shift in urban planning, environmental stewardship, availability and access to key urban services, ultimately improving the quality of life for citizens.
Garwe also stated that the ministry intends to involve private sector players in urban land and infrastructure development. “Fundamentally, the intention is to ensure that urban State land and by extension, urban centres become hubs for socio-economic development in the journey to Vision 2030,” he said.
Mnangagwa emphasised the importance of the Local Government ministry managing the provision of both on-site and off-site infrastructure in new developments to foster inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable settlements, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11.
Through this policy, the government aims to further obtain better value from the land resource, enhance accountability, improve efficiencies, streamline operations, and professionalise urban State land management.
“As the government decentralises urban State land management functions, it is incumbent upon all local authorities to enhance their systems and inhouse competencies required for the effective administration and management of land,” Mnangagwa added. “Moving forward, the government will, therefore, take an active role in shepherding and building capacities of local authorities to ensure a synchronised approach to urban State land management.”
Urban planner Percy Toriro acknowledged the numerous challenges with urban land management in the country and welcomed the new policy direction.
“We hope the implementation will be firm and consistent. There is rapid urbanisation, so planning and management of cities should now be the focus of governments and cities everywhere. The formulation of the policy is a step in the right direction because sound land management is where it all starts,” Toriro said.
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