Matenganyika included in title deed programme

The Government has confirmed that farmers who bought land at the advent of independence will not be excluded from the ongoing national title deeds programme, saying the initiative is meant to empower all qualifying farmers without discrimination.

The clarification follows complaints by a small-scale farmer from Jena/Gota Farm in Guruve, who said he had sought to benefit from the programme but was told there were no plans to issue title deeds to farmers who purchased land at independence, commonly referred to as Matenganyika farmers. The farmer said he had fulfilled all requirements, including undertaking the costly surveying process and paying for final printing more than five months ago, yet continued to be told that there was no programme to issue title deeds to his category.

Several Matenganyika farms across the country include Zviyambe, Chitomborwizi, Chesa, Chitowa, Nyakapupu, Gota, Karuyana, Nyazvidzi, Nyanyadzi, Makoholi, Nyamuzizi and Marirangwe.

However, chairperson of the stakeholder subcommittee on land tenure, Mr Happison Muchechetere, dismissed claims of exclusion, saying Matenganyika or self-contained farmers are an integral part of the title deeds programme. He said such settlements, which typically include farmland, homesteads and grazing areas, are treated in the same manner as A1 and A2 farms.

"They are a central part of this initiative, and the facts are that Matenganyika settlements are treated the same as A1 and A2 farmers. No one is being left behind," said Mr Muchechetere.

He explained that the Land Tenure Implementation Committee (LTIC) is responsible for overseeing the issuance of title deeds for all agricultural and urban land, and assured farmers that the programme is inclusive. Mr Muchechetere acknowledged that delays had been experienced in some cases but said these should not be interpreted as exclusion.

"We would like to assure all concerned farmers that the programme aims to include everyone, and the LTIC is working flat out to rectify issues causing delays. While some title deed processes have been delayed for various reasons, this is not exclusion. The programme is now progressing at full speed after overcoming some initial internal hurdles," he said.

Farmers seeking title deeds have been encouraged to visit the Government's one-stop centre for processing. Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka recently said the LTIC had established a one-stop centre at the Makombe Complex to streamline and speed up the process.

The centre operates seven workstations covering verification of tenure documents, clearance of land disputes by the Zimbabwe Land Commission, confirmation of survey status by the Surveyor-General, receipting of processing fees and purchase prices, completion of title deed data forms, determination of purchase prices and conveyancing, which includes preparation and signing of agreements.

Dr Masuka said small-scale commercial farmers who were allocated State land many years ago, initially on offer letters and later on short-term or 99-year leases with an option to purchase, are also benefiting from the programme. He added that indigenous farmers whose land had been acquired by the State but not resettled, or only partially resettled, are also being accommodated. In such cases, endorsements are being lifted where no settlement exists, while farmers with partially settled land will receive deeds of transfer for the remaining portions.

The Government has adopted a new land tenure regime in line with Section 292 of the Constitution, read together with Sections 289, 293 and 294, which obligate the State to provide security of tenure to all persons holding land for value addition and development. The programme is being coordinated by the Office of the President and Cabinet, with oversight from the Cabinet Oversight Committee and the LTIC.

President Mnangagwa officially launched the issuance of title deeds on December 20, 2024, in Kwekwe, where 10 farmers received their deeds. A further 1 000 A1 farmers were subsequently issued with title deeds in Mazowe.

Under the programme, beneficiaries receive deeds of transfer that confer private ownership and full land rights. All land reform beneficiaries with valid tenure documents qualify, with an estimated 24 000 A2 farmers and 360 000 A1 farmers expected to benefit. To accelerate implementation, Government has engaged the private sector to assist with surveying and has adopted modern technology to speed up the process.