No More Home Demolitions As Government Targets Land Barons

Zimbabwe’s Government has ordered local authorities to stop demolishing people’s homes and instead focus on making informal settlements legal and taking action against illegal land barons.

The directive was issued on November 9 following concerns raised by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) over the impact of demolitions on families who bought residential stands through unapproved housing schemes.

Government wants councils to find ways of making existing settlements legal where possible, instead of destroying people’s homes.

Authorities have also been told to work with the police to arrest and prosecute land barons accused of illegally taking land, dividing it into stands and selling it to unsuspecting home seekers.

The directive comes after the City of Harare announced plans to demolish more than 5,000 houses built in unauthorised settlements under 37 court orders. This was a separate exercise from the council’s October 2026 notice giving some residents 14 days to regularise their properties.

Under the October notice, affected residents were required to submit the necessary documents, pay penalties and meet council planning requirements.

The minimum penalty was US$1,500 or its equivalent in Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG), depending on the nature of the violation. Council also allowed residents to make payment arrangements.

However, Harare City Council said it preferred regularising settlements rather than demolishing homes.

Council spokesperson Stanley Gama said:

“The City of Harare has no appetite to demolish people’s homes. We want to regularise them.”

Gama added that some houses could still face demolition if they were built in areas that cannot be approved for residential use.

The council also warned residents against paying regularisation fees to housing cooperatives or middlemen, saying all payments must be made directly to the local authority.

The Government’s latest directive puts more pressure on authorities to deal with land barons who sell unapproved residential stands to desperate home seekers.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission has also called for affordable housing, transparent allocation of stands and proper information about approved housing schemes.

The commission warned that demolitions leave families homeless and cause financial and emotional suffering, especially among children, elderly people and vulnerable households.

It said authorities should enforce planning laws while also protecting residents’ rights.

The commission also urged people to check with local authorities before buying residential stands to confirm that the land is properly registered and approved for housing.

The issue has affected several communities, including Warwick Farm near Lake Chivero, Rydale Ridge and Ushewokunze, also known as Saturday Retreat Farm, where residents have faced eviction threats.

Zimbabwe’s Constitution also provides protection against unlawful evictions and demolitions.

Section 74 states that no person can be evicted from their home or have their house demolished without a court order.

Under the new directive, councils are expected to identify settlements that can be regularised, while authorities focus on investigating and prosecuting people behind illegal land sales.

The Government’s position is that families who bought stands should not be the only ones facing the consequences while those who illegally sell land escape accountability.