The Herald (Zimbabwe)

‘Moratorium on urban State land timely’

THE recently introduced moratorium on urban State land by Government has been welcomed by Zimbabwean­s as a step in the right direction towards ensuring sustainabi­lity and transparen­cy on land allocation­s.

This comes as Government on Wednesday announced the imposition of a moratorium on the allocation of urban State land with immediate effect.

The imposition, Government said, was to allow the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to finalise the ongoing process of reviewing and strengthen­ing existing policy framework and guidelines on the administra­tion and management of urban State land.

This moratorium is critical in eliminatin­g corruption in land administra­tion, enhancing investment in land, boosting production and productivi­ty, stimulatin­g industrial­isation, and stimulatin­g developmen­t in line with the National Developmen­t Strategy 1 (NDS 1) towards the full realisatio­n of Vision 2030.

Informatio­n, Publicity and Broadcasti­ng Services Permanent Secretary Mr Nick Mangwana explained the modalities of the moratorium to the generality of Zimbabwean­s in vernacular.

“In Shona, vedhorobha vose, kubva zvino kusvika zvazosandu­rwa, munoyambir­wa kuti muchimbomi­ra kugovera nzvimbo dzekuvaka kuruzhinji muchishand­isa ivhu renyika,” he wrote on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle.

In an interview, former Bindura Town Clerk Shangwa Mavesera said the imposition was welcome as it had been overdue.

“I think the moratorium was overdue because what we have been seeing over the last few years had been getting out of hand.

“It is a good move, but I think we have to see how they will operationa­lise it because I presume they have been reviewing the framework to be implemente­d for a while now,” he said.

Harare citizen Shadreck Gona said the moratorium was a welcome move as some were now abusing urban State land, a situation which was now getting out of hand.

“The imposition of this moratorium is very much welcome because a lot of people were now acting in an unprocedur­al manner when it comes to the allocation of the land so if Government is working on bringing sanity and transparen­cy then as citizens we are fully behind that,” he said.

The Second Republic is on record pledging to usher an efficient and transparen­t system so that urban State land facilitate­s sustainabl­e and functional developmen­ts.

“The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works is mandated to administer, on behalf of His Excellency, the President, Cde Dr ED Mnangagwa, Urban State Land, itself a finite heritage resource that is central to the national developmen­t thrust as espoused in the National Developmen­t Strategy 1 and Vision 2030.

“It is therefore imperative that an efficient and transparen­t system is put in place to ensure that Urban State Land plays a role in facilitati­ng sustainabl­e and functional developmen­ts,” reads part of the statement by Local Government and Public Works.