Staff Writer
The Zimbabwe National Organisation of Associations and Residents Trust (ZNOART) has called for the prosecution of individuals accused of illegally allocating and selling residential land, saying the law must apply equally to both the powerful and ordinary citizens.
In a statement issued on September 6, 2026, ZNOART national chairman Shepherd Shalvar Chikomba (pictured) said residents who bought stands in good faith should not bear the full consequences of illegal land transactions.
“If justice truly existed, prisons would be filled with connected land barons,” Chikomba said.
He said authorities should investigate allegations of land corruption and prosecute suspects where there is sufficient evidence, while emphasising that no one should be punished without due process.
“It is deeply concerning when an ordinary citizen who may have purchased a residential stand in good faith—sometimes using their entire life savings—can face the demolition of their home because the underlying land transaction was illegal or fraudulent,” Chikomba said.
He said justice should not only involve demolishing structures belonging to vulnerable residents, but should also include identifying and prosecuting those who illegally allocate, sell, market or facilitate the acquisition of land.
Chikomba called on the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), National Prosecuting Authority and the courts to investigate credible allegations of land corruption without fear or favour.
“Whether an accused person is a councillor, businessman, civil servant, politically connected individual, land developer, cooperative official or an ordinary citizen, the same principles of accountability must apply,” he said.
Chikomba also called on the Estate Agents Council of Zimbabwe to strengthen its regulatory role and take action against property practitioners implicated in unlawful land transactions.
He said estate agents and other property practitioners found to have participated in illegal sales or marketing of land should face appropriate legal and disciplinary action.
“Nobody should be allowed to turn the desperation of home seekers into a business opportunity based on illegal land deals,” Chikomba said.
ZNOART also urged residents to verify the legality of a residential stand before making any payment.
Chikomba advised prospective buyers to establish who legally owns or controls the land, whether the development has been approved by the relevant local authority, whether the seller has legal authority to sell the stand and whether the property appears in official records.
He further urged residents to verify approved layout plans, supporting documentation and payment arrangements before committing their life savings.
“Verify first. Pay later,” Chikomba said.
He warned that a receipt, membership card, piece of paper or verbal assurance does not automatically make an illegal land transaction lawful.
ZNOART also called on local authorities to strengthen and modernise residential waiting-list systems to make land allocation more transparent.
Chikomba said waiting lists should be regularly updated and subject to appropriate public oversight, with clear allocation criteria, accurate applicant records, transparent communication and mechanisms allowing residents to verify their position on the waiting list.
He said transparent waiting-list systems could reduce opportunities for land barons, middlemen and unscrupulous individuals to exploit people seeking residential stands.
ZNOART said it supported the Government’s position against illegal sabhuku deals and unlawful land allocations, arguing that traditional and community leadership structures should not be used as platforms for illegal land sales.
Chikomba said enforcement should, however, be fair and should target both those who illegally acquire land and those who facilitate, sell, allocate or profit from unlawful transactions.
“Our message is simple. Residents need land, but they also need justice,” he said.
“We cannot continue with a situation where an ordinary resident spends years saving money and building a home, only to lose everything because of an illegal or fraudulent land transaction, while the individuals allegedly responsible for creating, facilitating or profiting from that transaction appear to escape accountability.”
Chikomba said ZNOART would continue advocating for transparent land allocation, accountable local authorities, protection of residents’ investments and equal application of the law.
“Investigate the land corruption. Follow the evidence. Arrest where the law permits. Prosecute where there is sufficient evidence. Convict where guilt is proven. Punish according to the law. That is justice,” he said.
ZNOART is an apex body representing residents and residents’ associations across Zimbabwe. Its areas of focus include service delivery, community development, infrastructure development, gender and social welfare, environmental and waste management, healthcare, transparency and accountability, and drug and substance abuse.