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Zvamaida Murwira-Senior Reporter

GOVERNMENT is stamping its authority on the issue of land barons and will leave no stone unturned in its quest to stop the scourge, President Mnangagwa said yesterday.

In this vein, Government will not regularise settlements that sprouted after the 2021 decision to regularise earlier illegal settlements.

Speaking at the commissioning of four blocks of flats in Dzivarasekwa, Harare, built for 48 families who had their homes in Budiriro 5B destroyed by floods, the President said all settlements needed to be properly planned.

He urged law enforcement agencies to deal decisively with land barons milking unsuspecting home seekers.

President Mnangagwa said the scourge of illegal settlements had spread its wings to rural areas, growth points and peri-urban areas where some unscrupulous traditional leaders were parcelling out land in anticipation of urbanisation.

“Cognisant of the fact that some unsuspecting citizens had already fallen victim to land barons, my Government has embarked on a programme of regularising some of these settlements, in line with the Zimbabwe National Human Settlements Policy. 

“The cut-off of this special dispensation is 2021 when the policy was promulgated. People must toe the line and we cannot tolerate lawlessness. Hence, any further illegal developments that emerged post the policy launch will not be regularised,” he said.

The President said the need for land use planning cannot be over-emphasised whenever human settlement development occurs. 

“I, therefore, call upon planning authorities to desist from allocating residential stands in disaster-prone areas such as wetlands. Further, my Government is stamping its authority on the scourge of land barons and will leave no stone unturned in efforts to stop this malpractice. 

“These malcontents had spread their wings to our rural areas, including in growth points, peri-urban areas, district service centres, rural service centres and villages in our communal areas. 

“I implore our traditional leadership to be alert, vigilant and ensure that proper procedures are followed in parcelling out land. The practice by some unscrupulous village heads to illegally parcel out land in anticipation of urbanisation in their areas of jurisdiction must stop forthwith.”

President Mnangagwa said Government will not hesitate to demolish illegally built structures.

“In as much as there is a shortage of housing in the country, I would like to challenge citizens to make self-introspections when buying stands or land for housing development. This includes engaging and verifying the authenticity with relevant authorities on land or stand transactions for proper guidance and advice before committing resources. Ukangovaka chivakevake tinouya tichiita chiputseputse (If you indiscriminately build structures, we will demolish them),” he said. 

President Mnangagwa said he launched the Presidential Title Deeds Programme in April 2023 in Epworth as an empowerment tool.

“I would like to commend the work being done by the inter-ministerial taskforce, which is championing the programme and mobilising resources for infrastructure emplacement through private sector participation as represented by the Kwangu/Ngakwami Presidential Title Deed Programme Trust,” he said.

President Mnangagwa, Vice Presidents Constantino Chiwenga (third from right) and Kembo Mohadi (right) listen as National Housing and Social Amenities Minister Zhemu Soda reads a message on the plaque unveiled by the President at the commissioning of Dzivarasekwa Flats (in the background) in Harare yesterday. – Picture: Believe Nyakudjara.

The objective of the programme is to issue title deeds to residents of informal or unregulated settlements, and all long-standing tenants in local authority housing.

It will also provide title deeds to all rural growth points, and facilitate the raising of bond financing on property to fund service provision and housing upgrades.

This will in turn result in accelerated urban and rural infrastructure development as well as industrial transformation, while at the same time creating a conducive environment for other stakeholders to partake in housing delivery.

President Mnangagwa said other stakeholders and private developers should play their part towards ensuring the development of smart cities across the country. 

“These have the benefits of improving the quality of life for residents, as well as enhancing economic prosperity and environmental sustainability through advanced technologies. As you do so, be mindful of the need to also provide affordable and decent housing, which is in line with Sustainable Development Goal 11 on the provision of inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities and human settlements,” he said.

In line with Government’s densification thrust, the Second Republic is setting the tone by ensuring that 40 percent of land for human settlement development is reserved for the construction of multi-storey apartments.

Several other projects are being implemented across the country including a pilot project in rural Mutawatawa, Mashonaland East.

Others include the Dombotombo Flats in Marondera, Senga Flats in Gweru, Empumalanga West in Hwange; Kasese in Kariba, Binga houses, Lupane civil service houses as well as the Hlalani Kuhle sanitisation, among others.

“This demonstrates that Government remains the torch bearer in terms of housing provision, particularly on densification through vertical space use. I challenge the Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities (Zhemu Soda) and the Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion (Professor Mthuli Ncube), to build more blocks of flats going forward. 

“You must also continue to adhere to the Second Republic’s work ethic of completing projects on time. The momentum of timely completion of projects must be maintained,” President Mnangagwa said.

“As line ministries, departments and agencies as well as other property developers embark on their construction projects, I urge them to use local products, as well as invest in plants and factories to enhance our industrialisation and employment creation, coupled with sustainable supply of alternative building technologies and skills transfer.”

Speaking at the same occasion, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said the country was on the right path owing to President Mnangagwa’s people centred policies. 

“Indeed, the country is on the right path to meet the one million houses by 2025 under the National Development Strategy 1,” he said.

Vice President Kembo Mohadi commended President Mnangagwa’s policies, saying they would ensure the attainment of an upper middle class income economy by 2030. 

“Your commitment to deliver housing for all is quite noticeable,” he said.

National Housing and Social Amenities Minister Zhemu Soda described the construction of the flats as a milestone.

The 48 families that will occupy the four blocks of flats had their houses submerged and others swept away by floods with one life lost, and property destroyed.