By Kudzaishe Chimonera
The Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs has announced the rollout of a Title Deeds Validation and Re-Issuance Pilot Programme marking a significant step towards modernising the country’s land administration system.
In a statement, the ministry said the initiative forms part of broader reforms aimed at improving efficiency, transparency and security in property ownership records.
“This initiative is being implemented in accordance with the provisions of the Deeds Registries Regulations… a key milestone in the ongoing modernization of Zimbabwe’s land administration system,” the statement read.
Authorities said the pilot phase which began on 1 April 2026 will run for two weeks as officials test and refine the new system before expanding it nationwide.
“The Pilot programme which commenced on 1 April 2026 and will run over a period two-weeks, to test and refine the operational processes of the Digital Land Administration Platform (DLAP) prior to its nationwide implementation,” read the statement.
The government says property owners will be required to convert their paper-based title deeds into digital format within two years, as part of the transition to a more streamlined and secure system.
During the pilot phase, a selected group of registered conveyancers has been engaged to take part in the validation and re-issuance process, allowing authorities to assess how the system performs under real conditions.
Officials say feedback gathered during this period will be used to improve the Digital Land Administration Platform, ensuring it is efficient, reliable and user-friendly ahead of a full national rollout.
The government also moved to reassure stakeholders over the integrity of the process, stressing that safeguards have been put in place to protect property records.
“…comprehensive safeguards have been instituted to preserve the integrity, authenticity and legal validity of all records and title deeds processed under this Programme,” the statement read.
