Outrage over multi-million-dollar land transfer deal to Chiyangwa

A controversial land compensation deal between the Government of Zimbabwe and businessman-cum-politician Philip Chiyangwa has sparked public outrage and renewed scrutiny over how state land is being allocated, amid mounting concerns over transparency and political favoritism.

The deal, detailed in internal council documents seen by this publication, involves the transfer of prime urban land in Harare to Chiyangwa's Pinnacle Holdings as compensation for 514.5884 hectares of land surrendered to the state in Harare South's Stoneridge area. The land is valued at US$40,465,043, as per an agreement of sale signed on July 26, 2024, between the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works and Pinnacle Holdings.

According to the documents, Harare City Council is being asked to approve the direct handover of multiple high-value urban properties to Pinnacle Holdings and its subsidiaries in lieu of monetary compensation. The properties earmarked for transfer include parcels of land in Highlands, Borrowdale, Quinnington, Mt Pleasant, Strathaven, Mabelreign, Kuwadzana, Bluffhill, Arcadia, and even a prime tract located between Sally Mugabe and Samora Machel Avenues.

The listed properties total over a dozen, including:

    Plot 13, Highlands Township (21 ha)
    Stand 278, Borrowdale Township (0.3379 ha)
    Stand 739, Bluffhill Township (18 ha)
    Remainder between S. Mujuru and S. Machel Avenues (18 ha)
    Stand 3149A STL, Arcadia (2.4786 ha)
    ...and others spread across strategic city suburbs.

The transaction was initially presented to the Finance and Development Committee on February 10, 2025, and later reaffirmed at a meeting on April 16, with the Ministry advising that land be transferred directly to Pinnacle Holdings, bypassing City of Harare's custodianship, according to a letter dated May 8, 2025.

Council is expected to approve the listed transfers and allow the Director of Urban Planning to begin preparing survey diagrams and initiate required town planning procedures.

Critics argue that the deal epitomizes a growing trend of politically-connected elites gaining access to public assets under the guise of compensation. “This is not just about compensation — it's about power and privilege," said one urban governance expert, who asked not to be named. “This kind of transaction has enormous implications for public accountability and equitable urban development."

While the Ministry insists that the transferred land's value, not size, is the basis for compensation, there are concerns over how the land was valued and whether the process adhered to public procurement and land administration guidelines.

In a move that some councillors fear could set a dangerous precedent, the Government has also pledged to identify and transfer urban land of equal value back to the City of Harare, though no timeline has been provided. The proposed backfill has done little to quell criticism, with many arguing that council is effectively being coerced into signing away land it doesn't control — with no guarantees of timely or equivalent replacement.

As calls mount for greater transparency, residents and watchdog groups are demanding that the full compensation agreement, including valuation reports and beneficiary disclosures, be made public.

If approved, the Chiyangwa deal would mark one of the most substantial private land acquisitions from public hands in recent years — all under the umbrella of state-sanctioned compensation.