Under the proposed system, financial institutions
foreclosing land used as collateral in cases of loan default will also need to
seek approval from the authorities.
Similarly, the new tenure system will limit foreign
ownership of agricultural land and prohibit transfer of land title to
non-nationals to ensure that the resource remains predominantly under
Zimbabwean ownership.
The proposed framework, which is a hybrid of the freehold
tenure and other systems, will enable indigenous landholders with 99-year
leases, offer letters or permits to convert these into bankable, registrable
and transferable documents of tenure.
It is envisaged this modification will make agricultural
land more attractive for investment while maintaining strict control over
ownership and transfer of the resource.
To operationalise the changes, a technical team — the Land
Tenure Implementation Committee — that includes representatives from the
Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development; the
Ministry of Local Government and Public Works; and the Ministry of Justice,
Legal and Parliamentary Affairs has been set up.
This body will provide recommendations to a Cabinet
oversight committee chaired by Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Justice, Legal and
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said legislative adjustments
required to implement the new system were minimal.
“The process is now on course. The Chief Secretary (in the
Office of the President and Cabinet, Dr Martin Rushwaya) is in the process of
inviting members chosen by His Excellency, President Mnangagwa, to join the
technical committee.
“This committee will work with ministerial officials to
develop a roadmap for implementation,” he said.
“A working party consisting of our ministerial officials,
for lands and agriculture, as well as local government, has already begun
work.”
He said the proposed system will include mechanisms to
ensure that agricultural land is only transferable to qualifying individuals.
“We await the recommendations from the technical committee,
especially on what His Excellency said on agricultural land being only
transferable to qualifying individuals,” said Minister Ziyambi.
“We need amendments to give legal effect to this so that no
one can transfer their farm to someone who does not qualify." Sunday Mail
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