Government Gives Urban State Land Beneficiaries Final Three Months to Comply or Lose Allocations

Government has warned beneficiaries of Urban State Land to regularise their obligations within three months or risk losing their allocations.

By Southerton Business Times Reporter | HARARE

The Government has given individuals, companies and other beneficiaries allocated Urban State Land a final three-month deadline to regularise their obligations or face cancellation of their land allocations and possible repossession. The directive is contained in a notice dated 22 July 2026, signed by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works Secretary John Basera, warning defaulting allottees to comply with the conditions of their land allocations.

According to the ministry, a significant number of beneficiaries have failed to meet contractual and statutory obligations attached to their allocations, affecting orderly urban development and delaying the delivery of essential public infrastructure.

In the notice, the Ministry said it had noted with concern the continued failure by some beneficiaries to honour the terms and conditions governing Urban State Land allocations. Among the outstanding obligations identified are:

• Failure to pay the full purchase price or outstanding balances for allocated land.

• Non-payment of statutory charges owed to Government.

• Failure to surrender and transfer commonage stands and other land due to Government in accordance with allocation conditions, development permits and agreements.

• Failure to comply with other contractual and legal obligations contained in allocation documents.

The Ministry said these conditions are legally binding and form an integral part of every Urban State Land allocation.

Government warned that non-compliance undermines planned urban development, prejudices the State's interests and delays the provision of public infrastructure such as roads, schools, health facilities, recreational spaces and other essential services. As a result, all defaulting beneficiaries have been granted three months from the publication of the notice to regularise their obligations. During the compliance period, affected allottees are required to:

• Settle all outstanding payments due to Government.

• Surrender commonage stands and any other land due to the State in terms of their allocation agreements.

• Comply with all remaining contractual and statutory obligations.

The Ministry warned that failure to comply before the deadline expires will trigger legal and administrative action.

According to the notice, Government may impose several penalties on defaulting beneficiaries, including:

• Cancellation of Urban State Land allocations.

• Repossession of allocated land, subject to applicable law.

• Recovery of all outstanding debts owed to Government.

• Any other remedies available under Zimbabwean law.

The Ministry urged all affected beneficiaries to immediately engage the Department of Urban State Land Management to facilitate the regularisation of their obligations within the stipulated timeframe. Government said the exercise forms part of broader efforts to strengthen transparency, accountability and the efficient administration of Urban State Land while ensuring land is utilised in accordance with approved development plans and the national interest.

Urban State Land Zimbabwe