Online Reporter
Lonster Mutata
Herald Correspondent
THE land reform and rural transformation agenda has entered a renewed phase of consolidation and coordination, with Lands and Rural Development Minister Vangelis Haritatos unveiling a sweeping 12-point priority framework to strengthen land governance systems, improve inter-ministerial coordination and accelerate progress towards Vision 2030.
Speaking at a recent inter-ministerial coordination meeting attended by Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution as well as Provincial Permanent Secretaries in Mazowe, Minister Haritatos said land remained the country’s most strategic national asset, forming the backbone of livelihoods, production systems, ecosystems and long-term national prosperity.
He said public office must remain firmly anchored on service delivery and collective responsibility, emphasising that Government structures must work seamlessly regardless of institutional changes.
“Public positions are for the people. We must always be guided by the greater good and work together for the vision of the President so that we can all enjoy this beautiful country,” he said.
Minister Haritatos underscored the importance of coordination across ministries, noting that effective development outcomes depend on unity of purpose, professional collaboration and institutional continuity.
He paid tribute to ongoing cooperation within Government, saying such coordination is essential in ensuring uninterrupted implementation of national programmes.
“We are one Government working towards one goal. Even where structures evolve, the work of Government must continue without disruption,” he said.
Central to his remarks was a strong reaffirmation of land as the foundation of Zimbabwe’s socio-economic transformation, describing it as a multi-dimensional asset central to agriculture, mining, forestry, infrastructure development, ecosystem protection and climate resilience.
He said land must be treated not only as a political legacy issue but as a strategic economic and environmental resource that underpins national development.
“Land is the primary economic, social and ecological asset linking people, production systems and national prosperity. It is the foundation upon which rural development, climate resilience and biodiversity conservation must be built,” he said.
Minister Haritatos outlined 12 priority areas that will guide the ministry’s reform agenda, beginning with the need to take stock of the Land Reform Programme, which he said had reached a consolidation phase requiring evaluation and closure of outstanding legacy matters.
He also emphasised the urgency of finalising a comprehensive national land policy to guide land administration in a more inclusive, gender-sensitive and structured manner.
The minister raised concern over administrative inefficiencies in land governance, revealing that his office had received hundreds of land-related files within a short period, many of which involve long-standing disputes that require systematic resolution.
There is need to strengthen land administration structures to prevent repetitive reopening of resolved cases whenever new leadership is appointed, he added.
A national land use master plan was also identified as a critical priority, with Minister Haritatos calling for a coordinated, All-of-Government approach to spatial development planning.
Uncoordinated developments across the country risk undermining long-term planning, stressing that infrastructure, industrial, agricultural and settlement planning must follow a unified national framework involving multiple ministries, he said.
Minister Haritatos further highlighted the need to integrate fragmented land information systems into a single national platform, noting that the existence of multiple databases within Government was creating inefficiencies and governance challenges.
He said a unified land information system would improve transparency, efficiency and accountability while also helping to curb corruption.
On land use, he announced plans for the introduction of a land use tracker to ensure optimal use of allocated land in line with national food security objectives and economic diversification goals.
The initiative would ensure that land allocation aligns with agro-ecological suitability, supporting both productivity and export potential.
Minister Haritatos also announced a major shift towards modernising land tenure systems through the accelerated rollout of title deeds, saying Government intends to reduce reliance on offer letters in favour of a streamlined, secure land ownership framework.
The Surveyor General’s office and the planned e-cadastre system were also identified as key pillars in the modernisation agenda, with the digital platform expected to integrate land, mining and spatial planning data into one unified system.
He said the e-cadastre will enhance efficiency in land surveys, reduce delays and improve coordination across sectors.
Rural development coordination was another key focus, with Minister Haritatos saying his ministry will assume a stronger coordinating role in ensuring integrated service delivery in rural areas.
He said development must be approached holistically, involving health, education, infrastructure and economic services in a coordinated manner that avoids duplication and fragmentation.
Closely linked to this, Minister Haritatos, is the strengthening of village business units, school business units and youth business units as part of a broader rural industrialisation and empowerment strategy.
The overall aim is to stimulate local economies through value addition, aggregation centres, cold storage systems and strengthened rural value chains in partnership with other ministries.
Minister Haritatos also addressed land allocation challenges affecting veterans of the liberation struggle, revealing ongoing disputes and administrative bottlenecks that require urgent attention.
He said while progress has been made in allocating land to war veterans, unresolved disputes remain a concern that undermines confidence and stability in the sector.
“It is important that those who contributed to the liberation of this country are treated with dignity.
“We must ensure that our systems protect them and prevent unnecessary disputes,” he said.
He added that strengthening land administration systems would help ensure secure tenure, reduce disputes and promote productivity across all categories of land beneficiaries.
Once land security is guaranteed, investment and productivity will naturally follow, contributing to national food security and economic resilience, said Minister Haritatos.
“Our responsibility is to ensure that every citizen with land is secure and able to use that land productively for the benefit of the country,” he said.
The meeting marked a significant step in Government’s efforts to harmonise land governance systems and align them with broader national development objectives under Vision 2030.
