Online Reporter
Conrad Mupesa
Mashonaland West Bureau
HURUNGWE Rural District Council (HRDC) has launched its first-ever land occupation certificate programme for communal villagers, in a major step towards strengthening land tenure security and curbing illegal land sales in the district.
The launch, held at Karambazungu Business Centre in Ward 16, saw more than 500 villagers receiving the certificates under the pilot phase of the programme.
The certificates are expected to provide villagers with official proof of land occupation while also serving as a record of their contributions towards rural development levies.
Authorities said the initiative would bring transparency and accountability to communal land administration, which for years had largely been handled through traditional structures, often resulting in disputes and illegal transactions commonly referred to as “Sabhuku Deals”.
The Government has, in recent years, intensified efforts to clamp down on unlawful land allocations and sales by some village heads and land barons in communal areas.
Speaking during the launch, the council’s head of finance, Ms Felistus Muteta, said the certificates would improve revenue collection and make it easier for the council to monitor development levy payments by villagers.
“We will now be able to properly track each villager’s contributions towards development programmes because the certificate has a section at the back where receipt numbers for development levy payments will be recorded,” she said.
Ms Muteta said the move would also help create a reliable database for communal land holders across the district.
Acting chief executive officer Mr Remigio Makuwerere said the programme specifically targets communal farmers who have consistently contributed towards development levies.
“We have at least 500 villagers from Ward 16 who have been paying development levies and these are the beneficiaries of the certificates today,” he said.
“This is a pilot project and the programme will eventually be rolled out to all wards in the district with communal farming communities.”
Villagers who attended the launch welcomed the development, saying the certificates would help reduce boundary disputes and bring order to land ownership records in rural areas.
The initiative is expected to enhance confidence among communal farmers while promoting organised rural development in Hurungwe District.
