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Land is a finite resource hence it should be shared by all citizens  that want to work on it.  

It is for this reason that Government has come up with systems to ensure equitable distribution of land in both urban and rural areas. Government soon after independence in 1980 embarked on the land reform programme in order to correct the skewed land ownership which favoured whites. 

This has seen more than 300 000 families being allocated land in prime farming areas which used to be a preserve of white farmers. 

The noble idea to avail land to the landless Zimbabweans who were confined to barren land by the successive settler regimes has in some cases been hijacked by greed individuals who are illegally allocating land or selling state land in both urban and rural areas. 

The land barons are interfering with the orderly allocation of land in both urban and rural areas where they are illegally selling land to desperate homeseekers and others who want land for farming.  

These land barons are causing chaos in both urban and rural areas where they are defrauding land seekers by illegally selling them State or council land. 

Government has said it is concerned about the increasing number of people who are illegally settling themselves on urban or rural agricultural State land. It said most of these illegal settlers are being sold land by land barons who are taking advantage of their desperate situation.  The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development and the police have since launched a joint operation to deal with land barons and so far more than 3 700 land barons have been arrested. 

Government said the operation is not intended to punish or remove citizens from their homesteads as is being depicted but to restore order in the allocation and management of State land. 

Government said it is illegal for any person who is not authorised by central or local Government to sell, lease or offer a lease with an option to buy State or council land. “We have noted with concern attempts to tarnish the Government by those bent on inciting hatred and despondency,” said Government in a statement. 

Zimbabweans as already alluded to have to, share land which  is a finite resource. This is only possible if there is a system to allocate land in both urban and rural areas and not land barons who are after making money from State or council land. 

There is therefore urgent need to completely shut out land barons from allocating land, be it for housing construction or farming. The chaos being witnessed in both urban and rural areas is as a result of land barons. 

Those seeking land for housing construction or for farming should engage authorities and avoid land barons ‘quick deals’ as they risk losing their money. Many home seekers in urban areas have over the years spent millions of dollars constructing houses on illegally allocated land and these houses were later destroyed by councils.