Govt Declares War on Illegal Land Occupation
The government has fired a warning shot at illegal settlers, launching a full-scale crackdown on the unauthorized occupation of State-owned land, especially in rural areas.
Offenders have been ordered to vacate immediately or risk facing the full force of the law.
Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development Minister Anxious Masuka did not mince his words in a hard-hitting statement, reminding the public that occupying State land without permission is a prosecutable offense under the Gazetted Lands Act.
“Once again, may I remind the public that, in terms of the Gazetted Lands Act, it is a crime to occupy rural State land without authority.
“No person may hold, use or occupy gazetted land without lawful authority,” he warned.
The surge in illegal land occupation has raised red flags within the ministry, with Masuka stressing that only the Lands Minister has the authority to allocate such land.
“All illegal occupiers of such land should, therefore, immediately vacate rural State land.
“Failure to vacate such rural State land may result in prosecution in terms of the Gazetted Lands Act,” he reiterated.
The government is also urging citizens to report any suspected illegal settlers to their nearest Lands office or police station.
This decisive move comes amid mounting concerns over traditional leaders chiefs and village heads who are reportedly allocating agricultural land without clearance from the ministry.
These unauthorized handovers have triggered conflicts and chaotic settlement patterns, undermining the structured goals of land reform.
Authorities fear that the trend, if left unchecked, could cripple agricultural output, compromise environmental conservation, and derail the country’s developmental targets.
Masuka also encouraged A2 resettlement beneficiaries with offer letters or permits to approach Lands offices for faster processing of title deeds, highlighting the importance of regulated land ownership in achieving national objectives.
“Land is an economic asset for the transformation of our agriculture and, through it, the attainment of Vision 2030.
“Its orderly allocation, settlement and use are cardinal administrative aspects of the land reform revolution, which must be safeguarded for present and future generations,” he said.
To that end, the ministry has vowed to ramp up monitoring and enforcement to bring sanity back to Zimbabwe’s land governance systems.
