Government Gives Property Owners 24 Months to Validate Title Deeds
The Government has introduced a 24-month deadline for property owners to validate their title deeds under a new nationwide programme aimed at tackling fraud, duplicate ownership records and weaknesses within the country’s land administration system.
The initiative forms part of Zimbabwe’s transition towards a digital-first property registration framework under Statutory Instrument 76 of 2025, which authorities say will modernise and secure property ownership records.
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Government Introduces New Validation Process
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Vimbai Nyemba said the programme seeks to verify the authenticity of all existing title deeds before they are converted into securitised digital documents.
She explained that property owners would be required to engage conveyancers of their choice and submit original title deeds for validation through the Deeds, Lands and Administration Platform (DLAP) system.
Once the verification process is complete, owners will receive securitised title deeds designed to strengthen the security and integrity of property records.
Drive to Curb Property Fraud
Authorities say the programme is intended to address long-standing concerns over fraudulent land transactions, duplicate records and the loss of important ownership documents.
Nyemba said digitising the records would reduce the risk of manipulation while improving the efficiency of the national Deeds Registry.
She added that the framework was also expected to enhance transparency and restore confidence in Zimbabwe’s property ownership system.
Focus on Urban Property Disputes
Government believes the reforms could help reduce disputes that have become common in some urban areas where inconsistencies in property records have triggered ownership conflicts over the years.
Officials say the transition to a digital system will create a more reliable and traceable property database while improving land tenure security for homeowners and investors alike.
The validation exercise is expected to run over the next two years as authorities move to fully implement the new registration framework across the country.
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