8 000 Bulawayo homeowners get offer letters

The Government has issued 8,000 securitised offer letters to homeowners under the Presidential Title Deeds Programme in Cowdray Park, Bulawayo, as part of ongoing efforts to provide citizens with secure tenure and restore order in human settlements.

Speaking at the ministry's strategic planning workshop for 2026–2030 on Friday, National Housing and Social Amenities Minister Zhemu Soda said 1,571 title deeds were ready for transfer to beneficiaries under the Kwangu/Ngakwami Presidential Title Deeds initiative.

"Under the Presidential Title Deeds Programme in Cowdray Park, Bulawayo, a total of 8,000 securitised offer letters have been issued to beneficiaries out of 13,000 under the Kwangu/Ngakwami Presidential Title Deeds initiative," Minister Soda said. "In terms of facilitation of issuance of title deeds, the ministry set a target of 2,000 properties for 2025, and to date, 1,571 properties are ready for transfer."

The minister emphasised that the programme is central to the Second Republic's commitment to guaranteeing legal ownership and ensuring citizens obtain security of tenure for their properties. He noted that it involves a multi-stakeholder effort, including various government ministries and private players, and called for effective planning, technical expertise, and institutional coordination to ensure successful implementation.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has expressed strong interest in the initiative, which aims to secure land ownership for the majority of Zimbabweans. Minister Soda stressed the need for all participants to contribute toward delivering tangible results for citizens.

Permanent Secretary Engineer Theodius Chinyanga echoed the importance of the programme, highlighting that secure tenure underpins a functional housing market and encourages investment in housing. He called for strategic planning to prioritise technical and institutional arrangements to accelerate the programme, including feasibility studies, production of designs and costed bills of quantities, mobilisation of capital through a proposed Trust Fund, and integration of statutory fees and administrative costs into the project framework.

The Presidential Title Deeds Programme continues to be a flagship initiative aimed at enhancing tenure security, economic empowerment, and the development of functional settlements across the country.