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Zimbabwe Launches Policy to Combat Land Corruption and Promote Sustainable Urban Growth
The draft of a new Urban State Land Management Policy, spearheaded by the Ministry of Local Government, directly addresses:
the activities of land barons,
poor regulatory oversight,
the proliferation of informal settlements lacking essential services.It is rooted in the findings of the Uchena Commission, which exposed critical weaknesses in land administration practices.
Key challenges addressed include:
Illegal settlements lacking basic infrastructure;
Land speculation and fraud by corrupt officials and land barons;
Unplanned urban sprawl due to weak enforcement of past policies;
Public distrust in land allocation processes.The policy aims to ensure sustainable, efficient, and equitable urban land management through:
Establishing urban land management offices at local levels;
Modernizing land administration systems;
Streamlining land allocation and dispute resolution;
Cracking down on illegal settlements and land barons;
Partnering with the private sector for resilient urban growth;
Enforcing structured urban expansion.Ultimately, the policy aims to reverse decades of ad hoc urbanization and restore public trust by:
ensuring fair land allocation,
promoting sustainable urban development,
enabling local authorities to deliver transparent and accountable services.
