Blessings Chidakwa — Government has warned home-seekers against short-cuts in land acquisition or house purchases to avoid falling prey to land barons and having "their homes" demolished.

This message was conveyed during a media session aimed at enhancing communication between journalists and Cabinet ministers, facilitated by Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere.

In response to questions about potential demolitions, National Housing and Social Amenities Minister Zhemu Soda highlighted the importance of ensuring that all land acquisition applications were legitimate.

"Whenever that is done irregularly, obviously the arm of the law will take its course. We want to encourage all home-seekers, despite their desperation, that the acquisition of stands and houses must be done properly," he stated.

Minister Soda pointed out that the Government is currently addressing the issue of regularising dysfunctional settlements that arose from previous irregular constructions, where individuals built homes without adequate support services such as roads, schools and shopping centres.

"We are grappling with that correction. We don't want to repeat what happened previously," he added.

He emphasized, "Let us not construct where the stands would not have been acquired properly. Let's desist from dealing with land barons. We must conduct thorough due diligence when acquiring land for construction."

Under the Second Republic, significant strides have been made in housing development, with the government delivering 700 000 housing units under the National Development Strategy 1 -- more than triple the initial target of 220 000. The government is now working towards a new target of 1 million housing units.

The administration led by President Mnangagwa is committed to facilitating the provision of affordable, modern, and safe housing, recognising it as a fundamental need for the populace.