Mnangagwa ally leads security blitz on sabhuku deals

A high-level security operation led by Tafadzwa Muguti, Secretary for Presidential Affairs and Devolution in the Office of the President, has sparked debate after he descended on his Chivhu rural home accompanied by soldiers, police and Central Intelligence Organisation officers to flush out alleged illegal settlers.

The intervention, carried out in Nharira, Chikomba District, is part of a broader government push to address what authorities describe as widespread illegal land sales involving traditional leaders and local officials. The practice, often referred to as "sabhuku deals," has reportedly seen communal and State land being sold to individuals in peri-urban and rural areas.

Muguti reportedly established a temporary security presence at Madzivire High School, where affected villagers and alleged buyers were instructed to report for questioning as investigations unfolded. He also instructed some settlers to vacate the land within seven days, saying they should remove personal belongings while leaving building materials behind.

Addressing villagers, Muguti said he had been given authority by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to act on the issue, warning that similar operations would be extended across all districts affected by illegal land allocations. He accused local authorities of presiding over unlawful stand pegging on grazing land, school grounds and unserviced areas lacking basic infrastructure.

However, the operation has drawn mixed reactions. Some local leaders and traditional authorities expressed concern over the heavy security presence and the manner of enforcement, arguing that land disputes should be handled through established legal and administrative channels rather than large-scale security deployments.

Critics also questioned the use of soldiers and intelligence officers in what is fundamentally a civil land dispute, warning that such approaches risk undermining due process and local governance structures.

Despite the controversy, Muguti maintained that the crackdown was necessary to restore order, accusing some officials of facilitating illegal land occupation and warning that those who sold land unlawfully should compensate affected villagers or face arrest.

The operation highlights growing tensions around land administration in rural Zimbabwe, where disputes involving traditional leaders, local authorities and informal land buyers have increasingly escalated into legal and political conflicts.