Mnangagwa directs completion of unfinished projects

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has instructed the rapid completion of all unfinished projects across Zimbabwe's 10 provinces to ensure they contribute meaningfully to national development as the country advances toward Vision 2030. This directive was disclosed by Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe during a recent event.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for West Properties' new apartment hotel at Millennium Heights in Borrowdale, Harare, which will be managed by the international Radisson Hotel Group, Minister Garwe outlined new government measures aimed at bringing order and sustainability to urban development.

In line with the recently approved Urban State Land Management Policy, land developers will no longer be issued title deeds unless they have fully provided essential on-site services such as water supply, sewerage, waste management, and roads.

"This policy addresses key pillars including governance and decentralisation to ensure sanity in urban settlements," Minister Garwe said, adding that the government inherited numerous legacy issues related to uncompleted projects.

"We have been given direction to complete all the remaining projects across the 10 provinces because it is dead equity and we are not generating any revenue. We must generate revenue by ensuring that we complete the projects," he explained.

Highlighting the government's commitment to devolution, Minister Garwe emphasised that development initiatives will no longer be Harare-centric.

"His Excellency has now, through Devolution, said it has to start in Murambinda, Muzarabani, Bulawayo - let us go into every corner and part of this country," he stated.

Regarding urban development, Garwe stressed that no title deeds will be processed or approved without proof that on-site infrastructure is in place.

"We will only approve the processing of title deeds for developments that have provided water, sewerage and waste management systems, road construction, and other necessary services," he said.

The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, along with local authorities, will oversee the verification process and issue the relevant documentation only after these conditions are met.

For informal settlements, the government has urged developers with technical and financial capacity to approach authorities to negotiate formalisation, with the possibility of alternative land offered as part payment.

These measures signal a strong push by the government to streamline urban development, enhance service delivery, and ensure infrastructure projects generate sustainable economic value as Zimbabwe moves toward its Vision 2030 goals.