Epworth Member of Parliament Zivai Mhetu has raised concern over the slow implementation of the Presidential Title Deeds Programme, saying there is little tangible progress to show more than a year after its launch.

Addressing a feedback meeting attended by about 3,000 residents in Epworth, Mhetu said the programme, which was launched by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in 2023, was “moving like a snail.”

“I asked the people who had gathered if there was anyone who had received title deeds, and only four people raised their hands,” he said. “That alone is clear evidence that the programme is moving very slowly.”

Mhetu said he had engaged Epworth Local Board officials, who attributed the delays to staff shortages that were affecting land allocation, pegging and surveying processes. He added that he had written to President Mnangagwa last year on the matter and received a response indicating that Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi had been assigned to look into the application system being used.

“I was told that the Minister of Justice was going to look into the application we are using for this programme, but up to now I have not received feedback,” Mhetu said. “I am hoping to receive that response in 2026.”

The MP warned that the lack of title deeds was contributing to rising crime and lawlessness in some areas of Epworth. He said criminals were taking advantage of unregistered housing settlements to evade police.

“Failure to have title deeds creates breeding grounds for thieves,” he said. “When they commit crimes, they hide in areas where houses are not properly addressed, and it becomes very difficult for the police to locate them.”

Turning to social services, Mhetu also raised concerns about the quality of education in Epworth, particularly in private schools and colleges that have emerged to address shortages of learning facilities. While he acknowledged their role in increasing access to education, he urged school owners to employ qualified teachers.

“Many schools are taking school leavers and turning them into teachers,” he said. “The knowledge and conduct our children are gaining is lacking compared to what is expected in formal schools.”

On health services, Mhetu said Epworth urgently needed a 24-hour medical facility to reduce deaths caused by delays in accessing emergency care. He noted that many patients were dying while being transferred to Sally Mugabe Central Hospital.

“In 2026, I will engage relevant authorities to ensure that one of our clinics is upgraded to district status,” he said. “We need facilities that can do operations, scans, X-rays and even have a mortuary.”

According to Mhetu, residents also raised concerns about policing in Epworth, complaining about poor service and delays when reporting cases. Mhetu said some residents had stopped reporting crimes altogether due to frustration with procedures at the only police station serving a population nearing one million.

In a move that drew applause from residents, Mhetu disclosed that he had set aside his entire 2025 parliamentary salary for the benefit of the constituency. He said his monthly salary of US$280 amounted to US$3,360 for the year, which he used to buy food for those who attended the meeting.

“I appreciate the people of Epworth for sending me to Parliament,” he said. “That is why I decided that my salary should benefit them.”

Each of the 3,000 attendees received a packet of rice, and Mhetu pledged to again donate his 2026 salary, saying residents themselves would decide how the money would be used.

“My development committee told me plainly that people are hungry,” he said. “They said, ‘Buy them food,’ and that is exactly what I did.”

He also briefed residents on the use of Constituency Development Funds (CDF), saying the 2025 allocation had been used to rehabilitate roads, which withstood heavy rains. Looking ahead, Mhetu said he was engaging the Ministry of Transport and the National Road Administration (NARA) to ensure future funding is directed towards durable road surfacing.

“The Ministry of Transport has agreed to channel road allocations to Epworth in the form of tar,” he said. “That way, our roads will be long-lasting.”