Online Reporter
Nyore Madzianike
Senior Reporter
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has ordered the Justice Tendai Uchena Commission of Inquiry into the sale of State land in urban areas across the country’s 10 provinces since 2005 to make its findings public through formal publication.
The directive was issued through General Notice 608 of 2026 published in the Government Gazette by Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Martin Rushwaya.
“It is hereby notified that His Excellency, the President, in terms of Section 62 of the Constitution, has directed the publication of the report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Matter of Sale of State land in and around Urban Areas since 2005,” reads the notice.
The inquiry covered the sale of urban State land in Harare Metropolitan, Bulawayo Metropolitan, Matabeleland North, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland Central, Midlands, Manicaland, Masvingo and Matabeleland South.
The commission, appointed in 2018, was chaired by Justice Tendai Uchena.
President Mnangagwa appointed the commission following the mushrooming of illegal settlements in most urban areas, most of which were established from the illegal sale of State land by land barons.
The commission was set up through Statutory Instrument 11 of 2018, which amended Statutory Instrument 102 of 2017, which established a Commission of Inquiry into the sale of State Land in and around urban areas since 2005.
The Justice Uchena Commission was tasked to investigate and identify all State land in and around urban areas that was acquired and allocated to the then Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing for urban development since 2005.
It was also mandated to investigate and ascertain the status of such land in terms of ownership, occupation and development and to investigate methods of acquisition and allocation by current occupants and owners of such land.
The Commission was ordered to investigate and ascertain the actors involved in the allocation, occupation, and use of such land, and to conduct visits where necessary, summon witnesses, record proceedings, minute testimonies, and document proceedings, and to consider and manage all information gathered in order to arrive at appropriate findings and recommendations to the President.
It was authorised to investigate any other matter, which the commission deemed appropriate and relevant to the inquiry and to report to the President in writing findings of the inquiry.
