Zimbabwe Government Warns Against Illegal Sale of Communal Land in Crackdown on “Sabhuku Deals”

The Zimbabwean government has reiterated that communal land is not for sale, warning traditional leaders, land barons, villagers and diaspora buyers against participating in illegal rural land transactions commonly known as “Sabhuku deals.”

According to government officials, illegal land allocations are rapidly spreading across rural and peri-urban areas, raising concerns over land fraud, unlawful settlements, and exploitation of vulnerable communities. Speaking during a media briefing in Harare on Monday, Permanent Secretary for Presidential Affairs and Devolution Tafadzwa Muguti said authorities are intensifying efforts to stop the illegal sale of communal land across all provinces.

“Our position is very clear: communal land is not for sale,” Muguti said. “We are noticing that there’s a rampant and escalating invasion of land which is taking place across the country.”

Muguti said the Office of the President and Cabinet is working closely with the Ministry of Lands and Rural Development and provincial authorities to curb illegal land allocations and protect communities from exploitation by land barons and corrupt individuals. He warned that traditional leaders, including village heads, have no legal authority under the Communal Land Act to sell communal land for housing or farming purposes.

“We would like to appeal to the general public, especially those in the rural communities, that if you see anyone coming across wanting to peg land, even the village head himself, you have the right to report this matter directly to the police,” Muguti said.

He urged citizens to report suspicious land activities to police, Provincial Affairs offices, District Development Coordinators, and local government officials.

The warning comes amid growing reports that illegal land sales are targeting both local residents and Zimbabweans living abroad seeking residential or agricultural land investments.

Under so-called “Sabhuku deals,” land barons and some traditional leaders allegedly allocate communal land illegally in exchange for cash payments, often without government approval, title deeds or proper land-use planning.

Legal experts say many buyers later discover that the land was sold unlawfully, leaving them vulnerable to eviction or financial losses. Zimbabwe has experienced numerous land disputes in recent years involving illegal settlements, wetlands, and peri-urban land allocations, particularly around major cities such as Harare, Bulawayo, and Chitungwiza.

Land governance analysts have repeatedly warned prospective buyers to verify land ownership and approval processes through official government channels before making payments. Under Zimbabwe’s Communal Land Act, communal land is administered by the State and cannot legally be privately sold by chiefs, village heads or local intermediaries.

Authorities say the crackdown forms part of broader efforts to restore order in land administration, prevent fraud and safeguard rural communities from exploitation. Muguti said government departments in all ten provinces had been directed to strengthen monitoring systems and intervene against illegal land occupations and unauthorised settlements.

Zimbabwe communal land

Zimbabwe politics, communal land, land reform, Sabhuku deals, Tafadzwa Muguti, rural land sales, land barons, Zimbabwe news, Ministry of Lands, illegal settlements