Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
HOUSING has emerged as Zimbabwe’s new store of value, with growing numbers of citizens turning to property to preserve wealth, a trend Government believes can be harnessed to accelerate its ambitious target of delivering one million housing units and serviced stands by 2030.
In Manicaland alone, Government plans to provide 100 000 housing units over the next five years under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), positioning the housing sector as a critical pillar of economic growth, investment and social development.
The programme, which largely targets low-income households, will be financed through a combination of public resources, private sector investment, public-private partnerships, mortgage financing and the recapitalisation of housing funds.
However, stakeholders say the success of the initiative hinges on a secure and reliable land tenure system that can inspire confidence among property owners, developers, investors and financial institutions.
Speaking at the Estate Agents Council (EAC) National Land Conference in Mutare last week, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi, said title deeds alone are insufficient to make land bankable.
The minister, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs Vimbai Nyemba, said secure tenure depends on a broader ecosystem built on trust, accurate records and effective institutions.
“At the centre of this process is the title deed. It provides legal recognition and certainty in respect of an interest in land. But bankable tenure is not created by the title deed alone. It is created by the confidence that surrounds the title,” said Minister Ziyambi.
He said confidence in land ownership is strengthened by reliable information systems, strong institutions and legal frameworks that allow land rights to be verified, protected and enforced.
He said accurate property records, not only assure citizens that their ownership rights are properly documented, but also provide financial institutions with the certainty required to verify ownership, facilitate transactions and extend credit.
He added that Zimbabwe’s legal and institutional frameworks must evolve in tandem with rapid urbanisation, the development of smart cities, digital conveyancing systems and emerging financial instruments.
“Such systems will also reduce the risks of fraud, multiple allocations and competing claims, which can undermine confidence in property transactions and limit the ability of landowners to use their property to access finance.
“Our collective task is to strengthen a tenure system that provides certainty, facilitates investment and supports national development. Achieving bankable tenure requires more than issuing title deeds. Government also needs accurate data, effective institutions and functional dispute-resolution mechanisms,” he said.
Minister Ziyambi stressed that while a title deed secures ownership, it does not automatically create vibrant and sustainable communities.
“A title deed secures a right in land, but it cannot on its own provide roads, water, electricity, schools or sanitation. Bankable tenure must form part of a broader strategy for creating well-planned, serviced and sustainable communities,” he said.
He called for stronger collaboration among Government, local authorities, financial institutions, developers and professional bodies to ensure integrated and sustainable urban development.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities, Engineer Theodious Chinyanga, said the surge in housing demand reflects the growing perception of property as a safe store of value.
He noted that demand intensified following concerns over self-imposed bank deposit restrictions, prompting many people to channel their savings into real estate.
“We are seeing a spike in demand for housing. People took their money out of the safe deposit boxes, but it was not safe to keep money under their pillows, so the alternative was to invest in houses,” he said.
The heightened demand has contributed to a sharp increase in property prices, with houses in some high-density suburbs reportedly doubling in value from around US$30 000 to US$65 000.
Against this backdrop, Government has adopted an aggressive housing delivery programme under NDS2, targeting one million housing units and serviced stands nationwide by 2030.
Engineer Chinyanga said the initiative will bring together Government, private developers, housing cooperatives, communities, development partners and financial institutions.
“Some of these housing units will target segments that the market cannot adequately reach. Government will provide serviced land and State-funded housing, while private developers will continue playing a significant role in housing delivery,” he said.
To attract more private investment into the sector, Government has also revised regulations governing large-scale rental housing projects.
Engineer Chinyanga said the period before Government can intervene in rental charges has been extended from 10 years to 25 years, providing investors with a longer window to recover their investments.
“We moved from 10 to 25 years to encourage investment in housing,” he said.
EAC chairperson, Mr Desire Dube, said private developers must complement Government efforts by delivering quality infrastructure alongside housing developments.
“NDS2 mandates private land developers to provide adequate on-site and off-site infrastructure to curb speculation and rent-seeking, with local authorities monitoring compliance,” he said.
Mr Dube said land titling and registration remain central to Government’s strategy of making tenure documents bankable, transferable and registrable, particularly for land reform beneficiaries.
“A million houses cannot be delivered through rhetoric. They will be delivered through a land administration system that is coherent, secure, digitally trustworthy, environmentally responsible and financially bankable. That is the system we are here to build,” he said.
He added that achieving the one-million-housing-unit target will require far more than construction alone.
“It requires secure tenure, serviced land, supporting infrastructure and accessible housing finance. These are the building blocks of the housing delivery system Zimbabwe needs to realise its 2030 vision,” said Engineer Chinyanga.
