Government has approved a US$44 million compensation agreement with Eddies Pfugari Estate (Pvt) Ltd for the acquisition of Whitecliff Farm in Harare, where more than 11,000 families have been settled.
The agreement follows Cabinet’s endorsement of the User Pays Principle, which provides a framework for compensating landowners in cases where government-led housing developments take place on privately owned or indigenous land.
Announcing the decision during Tuesday’s post-Cabinet briefing, Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe said the settlement regularises the status of the 1,065.7-hectare Whitecliff property, providing legal certainty and secure tenure for the residents occupying the land.
Under the agreement, the Government will pay Eddies Pfugari Estate US$44 million as full and final compensation for the takeover of the land for housing development purposes.
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Cabinet said the move aligns with broader efforts to resolve long-standing land disputes stemming from urban expansion and informal settlements, while promoting orderly development and adherence to legal processes.
Whitecliff, located west of Harare, has been at the centre of a nearly two-decade land ownership dispute, leaving thousands of households in prolonged uncertainty regarding their rights to the land.
Government said the settlement demonstrates its intention to honour legitimate property rights while protecting citizens who benefited from public housing programmes from possible displacement.
“The agreement reflects Government’s commitment to balancing social responsibility with respect for property rights,” Cabinet said.
The Whitecliff resolution is expected to guide the handling of similar urban land occupation cases as Zimbabwe continues to expand its National Housing Delivery Programme.
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