Sabhuku Deals Under The Spotlight: Minister Says No Village Head Can Sell State Land
Zimbabwe’s Government has declared war on illegal land allocations, warning that no village head, land baron or official has the authority to sell State land amid growing concern over controversial “sabhuku deals” in communal and peri-urban areas.
The warning was issued by newly appointed Lands and Rural Development Minister Vangelis Haritatos during an interview published on May 17, 2026, where he said the Government was treating illegal land sales as a “serious governance issue”.
Haritatos said authorities were now working with several Government departments and agencies to tighten land administration systems and crack down on unlawful allocations.
“Land allocation must remain legal, orderly and accountable. No village head, land baron or official has the authority to sell State land,” said Haritatos.
“The emergence of ‘sabhuku deals’ in communal and peri-urban areas is being treated as a serious governance issue.”
Government Moves Against Illegal Land Deals
The Herald reports that Haritatos revealed that coordinated operations involving the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, traditional leaders, rural district councils, the Zimbabwe Land Commission and law-enforcement agencies were already underway.
According to the minister, the Government plans to verify questionable land allocations, enforce laws against illegal land parcelling and introduce mapping systems for approved land-use plans.
“Key measures include verification of allocations, enforcement against illegal land parcelling, spatial mapping of all approved land-use plans and intensified public education to alert citizens that illegal land purchases risk loss,” he explained.
The issue of “sabhuku deals” has become a major talking point in Zimbabwe over the past few years, particularly in areas surrounding major cities where desperate home seekers often pay village heads or middlemen for residential stands without official approval.
Many buyers later discover the land was illegally sold or falls outside approved settlement plans.
Haritatos said the Government also wants to improve transparency so that citizens clearly understand the proper channels for applying for land.
“Transparency is being strengthened to ensure citizens clearly understand legitimate application channels, documentation and procedures for land access,” he said.
Land Audits And Idle Farms Targeted
The minister also announced that the Government intends to intensify land audits to deal with multiple farm ownership and underutilised land.
He said modern technologies, including drones and remote sensing systems, would be used to establish whether farms were being properly utilised.
“Underutilisation, multiple ownership and irregular allocations will be addressed because land is a finite national resource that must be productively used,” Haritatos said.
“Where land is found to be unjustifiably idle, intervention may include repossession or downsizing.”
However, he insisted that the exercise would not unfairly target farmers struggling because of droughts or financial difficulties.
Focus On Productivity And Rural Development
Haritatos also spoke about the Government’s broader plans for rural development and agricultural productivity.
He said authorities were prioritising irrigation development, solar-powered boreholes, feeder road rehabilitation and support programmes for women and youths entering agriculture.
“The youth and women are central to agricultural transformation and broader rural industrialisation,” he said.
He added that land allocation systems would be made more transparent while underutilised land could be redistributed to deserving applicants.
The minister further said the Government remained committed to compensating former white commercial farmers under the 2020 Global Compensation Deed valued at around US$3.5 billion (approximately R63.7 billion).
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