Chinhoyi – In a significant move to rectify past injustices in land distribution, the newly proclaimed land tenure policy promises to enhance security for farmers and unlock the true value of agricultural land, according to a ZANU (PF) Politburo and Cabinet Minister.
The government has recently placed an indefinite moratorium on issuing new 99-year leases, offer letters, and permits for agricultural land. Under this new policy, beneficiaries of the land redistribution exercise, which previously displaced former colonial white commercial farmers, will now receive enhanced security of tenure.
During a ZANU (PF) Provincial Coordination Committee meeting in Chinhoyi, Hon. Ziyambi Ziyambi, the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, described the policy as a “game changer.” He emphasized that it would enable farmers to obtain title deeds for their land, facilitating access to agricultural funds from commercial institutions. “The new land tenure policy puts value on land owned by Indigenous beneficiaries, transforming what was previously a dead asset into a viable source of financial support,” he stated.
Minister Ziyambi also highlighted that the policy aims to protect landowners from arbitrary withdrawals of their land offers, addressing past abuses by officials. “This policy will end corrupt practices that allowed some officials to unjustly reallocate land,” he asserted.
Additionally, the new policy will tackle issues of multiple farm ownership and identify idle land, making it easier to allocate vacant plots without corruption. “An audit will help unveil underutilized farms and ensure fair land distribution,” he added.
In a related development, the government has agreed to settle agricultural debts owed by thousands of farmers who had received government input through various schemes. “This debt will now be paid off, enabling farmers to secure financing against their title deeds as collateral,” Minister Ziyambi concluded, warning that failure to repay loans could result in loss of land.
