Former Finance Minister and legal expert Tendai Biti has strongly criticized the government’s decision to grant title deeds to farm owners, arguing that the move undermines the land reform program.
The government insists that issuing title deeds will enhance economic growth, strengthen food security, and promote social stability.
Obert Jiri, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Water, Fisheries, and Rural Development, recently stated that the initiative aims to provide farmers with secure land ownership.
However, Biti, who previously served as vice president of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), dismissed the plan as legally flawed. He contended that agricultural land title deeds were nullified when the state took control, making it impossible for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to reissue them.
“All title deeds for agricultural land were canceled. Mnangagwa cannot legally reinstate them because they no longer exist. This is yet another legal blunder on his part,” Biti remarked during an online discussion.
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He warned that the move could pave the way for powerful business interests to monopolize land ownership. “In a decade, cartels will dominate land ownership, and in half a century, we’ll be right back where we started,” he cautioned.
Biti further noted that land ownership conflicts were shifting away from white farmers to “black cartels,” similar to those controlling industries like fuel.
Government Defends Title Deed Initiative
Despite the criticism, Jiri defended the program, emphasizing that title deeds would empower farmers by enabling them to access bank loans and transfer land to eligible Zimbabweans. He explained that the initiative would promote capital market participation and facilitate legal farm subdivisions for inheritance.
He also reassured the public that strict vetting measures would be in place to prevent fraudulent applications, ensuring that only those with valid offer letters, permits, or leases would qualify for title deeds. Additionally, Jiri revealed that financial institutions were collaborating with the government to offer mortgages for agricultural land, with title deeds being issued upon full payment or loan approval.
Constitutional Concerns Raised
Biti, however, pointed to Section 295(5) of the Constitution, which stipulates that agricultural land cannot be transferred without parliamentary approval. He criticized the government for bypassing Parliament and questioned the appointment of a private individual to oversee the program.
Furthermore, he highlighted a potential contradiction within the Constitution, noting that Section 298 guarantees all Zimbabweans, regardless of race, the right to own land. This, he argued, conflicts with the government’s stance that only indigenous black Zimbabweans should receive title deeds.
Biti insisted that a land commission, as mandated by the Constitution, should be established to oversee agricultural land matters, warning that the government’s approach risked a series of legal complications.
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