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Precious Manomano Herald Reporter
Anyone settling on agricultural land without permission faces prosecution and there will be no regularisation of those who just move onto land without the required authority, the Government has warned.
According to the Land Commission Act it is a criminal offence in terms of the Gazetted Lands (Consequential Provisions) Act to occupy State land without lawful authority in the form of a permit, an offer letter or a lease.
In a notice, the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Dr Anxious Masuka said Government will not regularise those that settle themselves on State land without procedurally issued tenure documents, adding that the full wrath of the law will be applied in such cases of illegal settlements.
“Government has noted with concern the increased number of illegal settlers on agricultural land. As a result, the public and nation is notified that only the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development is authorised to issue tenure documents on agricultural land as he administers the relevant Acts assigned to him by the President, His Excellency Dr ED Mnangagwa.”
Land applications should be made to the provincial lands offices where applicants should get wanted list allocation numbers and applicants should use these numbers to track progress with their applications.
He said war veterans had a 20 percent quota and a separate application register while youth have a 20 percent quota and a separate waiting list.
Land applicants recommended for land allocation should wait to get tenure documents before occupying recommended pieces of land. Those found occupying State land without authority would be prosecuted and agricultural land was not for sale.
“Do not pay and do not allow anyone to charge you to access agricultural land. Report any such activities to the nearest law enforcement agencies or to [email protected], cell number 0712169557. Ministers of state for provincial affairs and devolution in their capacity as chairpersons of provincial land committees should activate the necessary structures to deter and evict any illegal settlers,” said the minister.
Government also noted with concern reports of some local authorities that are leasing and selling traditional, communal, and grazing lands in breach of provisions of the Communal Land Act, the Rural District Councils Act and the Traditional Leaders Act. It said this practice was rampant in peri-urban areas close to major towns and cities where dysfunctional and informal settlements had emerged without the basic municipal services and at the expense of arable and grazing land.
All local authorities had therefore been directed with immediate effect, to cease the selling of communal and agricultural land.
The ministry’s Permanent Secretary Obert Jiri also indicated that it is fraud to sell land that belongs to the state.
“No one has the authority to sell land to other people. Only the Government has the responsibility of distributing land,” he said.
Zimbabweans have welcomed the initiative, saying it is important for people to acquire land legally, adding that they will violate land reform regulations which are critical in preserving the environment.
Mr Stanley Magwaza of Warren Park 1 said land that is meant for farming should not be tampered with to ensure that productivity is not affected.
“This is a positive step in the right direction. We appreciate the Government’s effort and we are there to support the programme. We are also assured of food security if the land is used well according to its purpose. A residential area cannot be similar to an agricultural land. Moreover this creates a lot of problems because the land is not designed for people to stay,” he said.
Mr John Kandiero of Kambuzuma said people should make sure that they go through proper procedures to acquire land so that they don’t disadvantage their families in future.
“Agricultural lands are not residential stands. We are seeing that families are suffering because of floods, spreading of diseases because the land is not properly serviced to ensure proper functioning of sewer pipes and drinking water is likely to be contaminated, leading to the spread of diseases,” he said.
The Zimbabwe Lands Commission successfully completed its land audit exercise, coming up with a Land Information Management System, which will tackle issues such as multiple farm ownerships and double allocations.
President Mnangagwa recently received the final report, which audited 254 538 farms countrywide.
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