Honeymoon over for land barons

The Zimbabwean government has announced a new offensive against land and space barons who have been illegally allocating State land in urban and peri-urban areas, following the unveiling of a comprehensive policy aimed at ending decades of chaos in urban land management.

The Urban State Land Management Policy, launched last week, seeks to promote sustainable development, restore order in urban settlements, and protect citizens from fraudulent land deals that have cost desperate home-seekers millions of dollars. The move comes in the wake of a crackdown by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), which recently conducted a five-day operation targeting illegal land allocations in various parts of the country.

The policy is a direct response to findings from a 2019 commission of inquiry, which uncovered widespread corruption involving State land valued at US$3 billion. The commission implicated top politicians and Zanu-PF-linked individuals in the unlawful sale and allocation of land, a revelation that shocked the nation and exposed deep flaws in land governance.

In his foreword to the policy document, President Emmerson Mnangagwa acknowledged the shortcomings of previous approaches, which he said had contributed to rampant urban sprawl and the emergence of dysfunctional and irregular settlements. He warned that speculative practices and the rise of land barons had undermined proper planning and distorted land use patterns across the country.

Mnangagwa said the new policy would help streamline land allocation processes, improve institutional coordination, and ensure that local authorities are empowered and equipped to manage urban land responsibly. He emphasized that the government is determined to obtain greater value from land, enhance accountability, and professionalize land administration systems.

The president also called on the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to oversee both on-site and off-site infrastructure development in new urban areas, in line with the country's commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 11, which promotes inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities.

Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe echoed the president's sentiments, noting that Zimbabwe is grappling with rapid urbanisation that presents new challenges requiring coordinated and decisive action. He said the new policy would serve as a unified framework for all levels of government involved in State land management and would support the devolution agenda of the Second Republic.

Garwe said that the ministry would work to engage private sector players in infrastructure development, stressing that urban centres should serve as hubs for socio-economic development in line with Vision 2030. He expressed confidence that the policy would result in improved urban planning, greater access to services, and a higher quality of life for citizens.

The issue of land baronism has long plagued Zimbabwe, with thousands of people being duped into buying land illegally parcelled out by politically connected syndicates. Many of these individuals have lost their homes after authorities demolished structures built on illegally acquired land. In Harare alone, more than 5,000 houses are under threat of demolition, though the government suspended such operations last year to give affected families time to relocate.

Urban planner Percy Toriro welcomed the new policy, saying it represents a crucial step toward resolving long-standing land governance issues. He noted that effective implementation would be key, particularly as cities continue to expand rapidly.

"There have been many challenges with urban land management in Zimbabwe," Toriro said. "This policy is a step in the right direction. The focus now must be on consistent and firm implementation, because sound land management is the foundation for sustainable urban development."

As the government moves to clean up Zimbabwe's urban land sector, the coming months will be critical in determining whether the policy can bring about lasting change and finally dismantle the entrenched system of land baronism that has hindered the country's urban growth for years.