Online Reporter
Good day, welcome to our live coverage of the Land Tenure Leadership success series 2nd Edition, running under the theme, Unlocking the Potential of Young People.
CEO and chairperson of Sakunda Holdings and chairperson of the Land Tenure Implementation Committee Dr Kudakwashe Tagwirei is today headlining Land Tenure Leadership Series being held in Bulawayo. He will be joined by Dr Paul Tungwarara, Presidential Investment Advisor as a guest speaker.
Notable speakers at the event include, Bulawayo Minister for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Judith Ncube, Minister of Information, Communication Technology and Young Women for Economic Development chairperson Dr Tatenda Mavetera, Zanu PF National Political Commissar Cde Munyaradzi Machacha, media practitioner Ruveneko Parirenyatwa and Zanu PF Bulawayo province chairperson Cde Jabulani Sibanda.
Our Senior Reporter Peter Matika and Chief Photographer Eliah Saushoma will be giving us live updates.
The event, which has drawn the attention of thousands of youths from across the province is running under the theme, Unlocking the Potential of Young People.
The event is being held at the National University of Science and Technology.
The event promises to be a powerful conversation about empowering Zimbabwe’s youth through secure land ownership.
Some of the key highlights of the
Program include, securing land ownership, where beneficiaries secure ownership of land, enabling them to access affordable financing and boost agricultural productivity.
The event is an opportunity to engage with Dr Tagwirei and explore the possibilities of agricultural development in Zimbabwe.
What is the Land Tenure Implementation Programme?
Last year, President Mnangagwa launched new Land Tenure Implementation Programme in Kwekwe which was set to bolster the land ownership model, unlock huge amounts of finance, spur economic growth as well as enhance productivity.
The launch followed an adjustment to the country’s land tenure system that was announced by President Mnangagwa in October 2024 expected to improve land tenure security.
Under the new era, all the land held by beneficiaries of the Land Reform Programme under 99-year leases, offer letters and permits, will be held under a bankable, registrable and transferable document.
To ensure the smooth facilitation of the process, the Government issued an indefinite moratorium on the issuance of any new 99-year leases, offer letters and permits for agricultural land.
In announcing the new policy in October last year, President Mnangagwa said in implementing the new system, priority will be given to veterans of the liberation struggle, youths and women.
In addition, security of tenure to all agricultural land regularised under this programme will, at all times, only be transferable among indigenous Zimbabweans and land targeted for the new tenure system will exclude communal land that is under the jurisdiction of traditional chiefs.
He said the noticeable new paradigm amongst Zimbabwean farmers, especially the majority of beneficiaries of the land reform, was to regard and conduct farming as a business, a source of both livelihoods and means to increase personal economic value.
The President last year constituted a Cabinet Oversight Committee chaired by Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri to lead the reform process.
A technical committee — the Land Tenure Implementation Committee (LTIC) — to coordinate and steer the implementation of this process will also be constituted.
These Committees will work diligently to develop improved security of tenure for land beneficiaries while ensuring that the value of agricultural and urban State land is fully unlocked to guarantee inclusive and nationwide economic development.
Government will put in place all the necessary institutional and logistical mechanisms to ensure the smooth coordination and implementation of these new policies and objectives.
WATCH: Land Tenure Implementation Committee chairperson Dr Kudakwashe Tagwirei unpacks the Land Tenure
The Land Tenure Leadership Success Series, which is in its second edition also seeks to unlock the potential of young people and empower them to contribute to national development through agriculture.
The initiative also has the potential to transform the agricultural sector and create wealth for citizens, with farming producing millionaires, as cited by Dr Tagwirei.
As the anticipation builds for the arrival of the Guest of honour and esteemed dignitaries, a vibrant young dance ensemble takes the stage, captivating the audience with their energetic performance.
Dr Kudakwashe Tagwirei, the guest of honour, has finally arrived for the event. He is accompanied by Dr Tatenda Mavetera, the Minister of Information Communication Technology.
Businesswoman, Councilor, and musician and Young Women 4 Economic Development Bulawayo Chapter chairperson Cde Sandra Ndebele Sibindi expressed her enthusiasm for Bulawayo hosting the second edition of the Land Tenure Series.
She says the event will serve as an invaluable opportunity for the youth of Bulawayo, providing them with insights and knowledge that will empower them in their future endeavors.
More pictures from the Youth Land Empowerment Summit in Bulawayo.
Minister of State for Bulawayo Province Cde Judith Ncube has taken to the podium.
She expresses her gratitude to YW4ED for organizing the event being hosted in the city of Bulawayo. She mentions that the second edition comes at a critical time, as land is a key pillar in developing the country’s economy.
Minister Ncube says this is not just a life-changing event, but one that will empower young people. She expresses her gratitude to YW4ED for organizing the event being hosted in the city of Bulawayo.
She mentions that the second edition comes at a critical time, as land is a key pillar in developing the country’s economy.
She concludes her remarks by welcoming Dr Tagwireyi and Dr Matevera to the City.
Cde Jabulani Sibanda, the Chairperson of Zanu PF Bulawayo Province, is now at the podium delivering his remarks.
He says when the country was colonised settlers awarded themselves with prime land, and relegated natives to barren land. Cde Sibanda says today’s program serves as an eye opener to the youths who must reclaim their right, which is the land. He says the Land Tenure must not be tribalise in order for it to work.
Cde Sibanda concludes his remarks by emphasizing the importance of remembering the armed struggle, as those who sacrificed their lives did so to empower the nation through its natural resources.
Ruling party, Zanu-PF National Political Commissar Cde Munyaradzi Machacha is currently at the podium, reminiscing about the armed struggle and how the country achieved its independence.
He states that not everyone can own land, but many can benefit from it through productive activities like farming. He says only through farming can the country reattain its breadbasket status. He encourages young people to take charge of their future by participating in national projects. He concludes his remarks.
Minister Tatenda Mavetera is now on the podium to deliver her brief remarks and introduce the guest of honour, Dr Kudakwashe Tagwireyi.
Dr Mavetera says that digital technologies will transform and enhance land tenure. She explains that digitalizing data will secure land and ensure that ownership is not tampered with. She concludes her remarks by introducing the guest of honour.
Dr Kudakwashe Tagwirei is now at the podium, opening his remarks with a prayer in Ndebele. He has asked the attendees to stand and dance before he engages with them.
Dr Tagwirei says that the program aims to nurture young people into business-oriented individuals. He emphasizes that it is intended for the youth who are now at the forefront of leading the country.
