Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba, [email protected]
ZIBAGWE Rural District Council (RDC) in the Midlands Province is set to repossess about 250 undeveloped commercial and residential stands in Empress Township, Zhombe, in a decisive move aimed at curbing land speculation and accelerating orderly urban development.
In an interview, Zibagwe RDC chief executive officer, Mr Farayi Machaya, said the exercise — expected to begin in the first quarter of this year — will target stands that have remained idle for years despite being fully serviced.
“We have resolved to repossess a total of 250 stands in Empress Township that have remained undeveloped since allocation. However, this is not a blanket repossession. Our priority is to encourage beneficiaries to develop their stands rather than hold onto them for speculative purposes,” he said.
Mr Machaya said affected stand holders would first be engaged in line with council procedures before any repossession is implemented, adding that owners who make tangible progress — at least up to slab level — would retain their properties.
The move comes amid growing concern among local authorities nationwide over land hoarding, which has slowed settlement growth, complicated service delivery planning and deprived councils of revenue required for infrastructure development. Mr Machaya said the failure by beneficiaries to develop stands was undermining Zhombe’s growth prospects.
“We cannot plan roads, water reticulation, sewer systems and other services when people are sitting on land without developing it. That defeats the whole purpose of planned settlements,” he said.
He added that repossessed stands would be allocated to individuals on the council’s waiting list who have the financial capacity to build, ensuring productive utilisation of serviced land.
The development is also anchored in Government policy. Since November 2023, when President Mnangagwa launched the local authorities’ reform blueprint A Call to Action: No Compromise on Service Delivery, councils have been under pressure to enhance efficiency, accountability and urban planning standards.
“As a local authority, we are guided by the President’s blueprint which compels us to meet minimum service delivery thresholds. These stands are fully serviced and fall within an approved masterplan. We are simply executing our mandate in line with Vision 2030,” said Mr Machaya.
The repossession exercise also aligns with the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), which prioritises access to decent housing and sustainable human settlements as part of wider socio-economic transformation. Under NDS2, the Government has urged local authorities to unlock land for housing, eliminate speculative land holding and ensure that serviced stands translate into actual homes and business premises.
“Our goal is to leave no one and no place behind in housing delivery. Once repossessed, the stands will be sold to those who are ready and able to develop them. This is an opportunity for serious investors and home builders,” said Mr Machaya.
