The Government has begun regularising land allocations across the country with a view to resolving disputes around farm boundaries and ownership, a Cabinet minister has said. In an interview last week, Lands and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Herbert Murerwa said the land wrangles indicated serious land redistribution abnormalities.

He said among the abnormalities were size, boundaries and dual property ownership. He said land owners should approach his ministry with the relevant information to help with the regularisation process.

“The Ministry of Lands is dealing with numerous land problems of a multiple nature, which cannot be limited to dispossessions and boundaries only,” he said, adding that his ministry does not allow dual property ownership. “Any land abnormalities that are noted should be brought to the attention of the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement offices at district, provincial and head office levels.

“These problems are profiled in detail through district and provincial land committees and a national land dispute resolution committee.”

For some time now, land wrangles have been reported in different parts of the country with property dispossessions and boundaries being at the centre of most of the cases. Last week, several affected farmers complained that authorities were taking too long to address the situation. In Mashonaland Central, about 15 farmers at Maunzi Farm in Darwendale are reportedly resisting moves to push them off the property to pave way for a former commercial farmer.

The farmers claim to have all the requisite documents. In the Lowveld, a Chiredzi widow, Ms Mary Sumbani, claims to have been displaced to clear the way for a local businessman.