Govt to process 1 000 title deeds per day 

Tanyaradzwa Rusike

A DIGITAL land administration system, set to be launched in November to enable the speedy implementation of the Presidential Title Deeds Programme, will have the capacity of processing 1 000 title deeds per day.

The new platform, which will issue securitised title deeds, seeks to combat the spread of fake and fraudulent land ownership documents.

To date, the Government has issued 1 000 title deeds in Epworth and is working on issuing 55 000 documents to long-standing municipal tenants in Chitungwiza.

Field offices have already been set up in Chitungwiza and Epworth to assist homeowners secure all the requisite documentation for processing the property ownership documents.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Mrs Vimbai Nyemba said they had already finished equipping the command centre ahead of the launch.

“Our programme (the Presidential Title Deeds Programme) kicked off in Epworth on April 22, 2023, where a pilot project was launched by the President,” she said.

“A task force was established, which comprises Government institutions and the private sector.

“It can be noted that through the task force, a command centre was established and fully furnished with state-of-the-art equipment, where all Government departments responsible for the registration of title deeds are housed under one roof.

“The command centre is now equipped with computers for data processing, broadband, servers and other equipment needed to process the deeds.

“Once the command centre starts operations, the Government will be able to issue at least 1 000 title deeds a day.”

Mrs Nyemba said the programme will benefit informal settlements targeted for regularisation, long-standing municipality tenants and beneficiaries of Government houses.

“So far, 1 000 title deeds have been issued in Epworth, and we expect to issue 55 000 title deeds in Chitungwiza for long-standing municipal tenants, 9 000 title deeds in Southlea Park and 21 000 title deeds for the Government-enabled housing programme nationwide.

“The full scale of beneficiaries is yet to be realised as the programme is still in the preparatory stages in many areas.”

A title deed is a legal document issued by the State, which gives ownership of a piece of land to an individual.

It confers real rights on that particular person over the property.

“A digital land administration system is being developed, which will enable issuance of electronic securitised title deeds.

“Applications to register deed of grant and deed search were completed and other applications such as deed of transfer, subdivision, mortgage bonds are still work in progress,” Mrs Nyemba said.

“Stakeholder engagements were held with relevant authorities involved in the registration of title deeds for integration.

“The new digital system for registering title deeds is built on blockchain technology, providing an additional layer of security.

“The ministry is expecting that by the end of November, the digital land administration system will be completed and launched.”

Under the Presidential Title Deeds Programme, over 1,5 million homeowners across Zimbabwe will receive official title to their properties.

The launch of the platform coincides with the intensification of efforts to regularise informal settlements, a process that will pave the way for residents in these areas to obtain title deeds.