Thousands of Zimbabwean property owners could struggle to comply with the government's title deed validation programme as concerns mount over the affordability of the process and the limited timeframe for compliance.

The issue has now reached Parliament, where Emakhandeni-Luveve legislator Discent Collins Bajila has tabled a motion urging the government to lower the fees associated with validating old title deeds and extend the programme's deadline by at least two years.

Under the current framework introduced through Statutory Instrument 76 of 2025, holders of old title deeds are required to validate their documents within 24 months. Homeowners currently pay an initial application processing fee of US$10, followed by a mandatory US$200 validation and securitisation fee, although total costs may vary depending on the property's circumstances.

Bajila argues that while the digitisation of Zimbabwe's Deeds Registry is an important reform aimed at improving the country's land administration system, the financial burden placed on ordinary citizens could prevent many from participating.

The motion notes that the prescribed charges "collectively, place a significant financial burden on ordinary homeowners, pensioners, low-income earners and families across Zimbabwe."

Bajila also highlighted challenges facing residents in rural and remote areas, where limited access to legal services, information and registration facilities could make compliance even more difficult.

The motion warns that "failure by property owners to participate in the programme within the stipulated period could expose them to uncertainty regarding proof of ownership, impede access to credit and undermine confidence in Zimbabwe's property rights system."

To address these concerns, Bajila is proposing several reforms, including a substantial reduction in validation fees. The motion calls on the government to "review and substantially reduce the fees and administrative charges associated with the Title Deeds Validation and Securitisation Programme to make the exercise affordable to ordinary Zimbabweans."

The legislator is also proposing financial relief for vulnerable groups, recommending that the government "introduces a fee waiver or subsidised fee structure for pensioners, persons with disabilities, beneficiaries of social protection programmes, low-income households and other vulnerable groups."

Bajila further wants the Justice Minister to "extend the current validation deadline by not less than 24 additional months" through the mechanism provided under Section 44(1) of Statutory Instrument 76 of 2025 to allow all eligible property owners adequate time to comply.

The motion also recommends establishing mobile registration and validation centres in every province and district to improve access, particularly for rural communities, while calling for a nationwide public awareness campaign to ensure citizens fully understand the programme's requirements and benefits.

The parliamentary intervention comes as public debate continues over Zimbabwe's Digital Land Administration initiative, which seeks to replace the country's long-standing paper-based deeds registry with a secure digital system.

Government officials maintain that the programme is designed to strengthen property rights, improve confidence in the real estate sector and reduce opportunities for title deed fraud.

Deputy Chief Registrar in the Department of Deeds, Companies and Intellectual Property, Elizabeth Nyagura, recently defended the programme, saying the existing registry is outdated.

"The current system that we have is one that we inherited. Therefore the objective of SI 76 of 2025 is to strengthen property rights and also to make sure that confidence in the local real estate sector is actually improved," Nyagura said.