Land barons under police spotlight

According to a statement from the national police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, officers will not hesitate to arrest anyone involved in the illegal allocation of land, regardless of their status or social standing. Before settling on a plot of land or being forced to pay for its alleged allocation or development, those purchasing it should confirm its status. The statement made reference to a January 3 statement made by Dr. Anxious Masuka, the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, in which he pledged to prosecute cases of illegal settlements on agricultural land and crimes committed by land barons who illegally divide land into rural and urban areas. In a ZBC show the day before, Ministers of Local Government and Public Works Winston Chitando and National Housing and Social Amenities Daniel Garwe made it plain that unlawful land distribution would no longer be permitted. "Therefore, the general public is hereby informed that the Zimbabwe Republic Police, regardless of status or social standing, will arrest anyone involved in illegal land allocation." The public should report any illegal activity by land barons, according to Asst Comm Nyathi, to the National Complaints Desk at (024) 2703631 or via WhatsApp at 0712800197. The government has recently issued warnings, stating that anyone who just relocate onto land without the necessary authority will not be regularized and that anyone found to be settling on agricultural land without permission faces punishment. The Land Commission Act states that occupying State property without proper authorization—such as a permission, an offer letter, or a lease—is illegal under the Gazetted Lands (Consequential Provisions) Act. Minister Masuka recently stated in a notice that the government will not regularize the stay of anyone who establish themselves on state territory without adhering to protocol. The growing number of unauthorized settlers on agricultural land has been observed by the government with worry. Therefore, word is spread across the country and public that only the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Applications for land should be submitted to the provincial lands offices, where candidates will receive numbers from the waiting list that they can use to monitor the status of their applications. According to Minister Masuka, young people had a 20 percent quota and a separate waiting list, while veterans of war had a 20 percent quota and a separate application register. Before taking land that has been proposed for allocation, land applicants should wait to get their tenure documents. Anyone caught trespassing on state property would face legal action. Additionally, reports of certain local authorities leasing and selling traditional, communal, and grazing properties in violation of the Communal Land Act, the Rural District Councils Act, and the Traditional Leaders Act have been noted by the government with concern. The practice was allegedly widespread in peri-urban areas near large towns and cities, where informal and dysfunctional settlements had developed at the expense of arable and grazing land, without access to essential municipal services. Contact Us Editorial: dion@vaka.co.zw Advertising: advertising@vaka.co.zw : news@vaka.co.zw Whatsapp: +263787980064