HARARE, Aug. 20 (NewsDay Live) — Government is working to create greater certainty in Zimbabwe’s real estate market by improving the policy and regulatory environment to attract investment and accelerate viable housing projects, National Housing and Social Amenities Minister Paul Mavima said.
Speaking at the Zimbabwe Property Expo (ZPE) on Wednesday, Mavima said investment would only follow if developers had confidence in the policy environment.
“Opportunity must be matched by confidence and certainty. As government, we are trying our best to bring this certainty and confidence in the real estate market,” he said.
“Capital follows opportunity, but it also follows confidence, clarity and predictability. Government will therefore continue improving the policy and regulatory environment so that viable investments can move efficiently from concept to delivery.”
Mavima said Zimbabwe had the land, skills and entrepreneurial capacity to unlock significant development, but urged stakeholders to ensure projects progressed from planning to construction and ultimately benefited communities.
“Our task now is to ensure that good projects move from concepts to capital, from approvals to construction, and from construction to communities,” he said.
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He said government would work with developers, financial institutions, pension funds, institutional investors, development partners, local authorities and communities to achieve its target of one million housing units by 2030.
Mavima also called for greater urban densification as cities grapple with land shortages, infrastructure pressure and a housing backlog exceeding 500,000 units.
“We must plan the city before we build the city. As our urban population grows and infrastructure comes under increasing pressure, we cannot simply continue expanding outward. We need densification. We need urban regeneration,” he said.
He called for more mixed-use and transit-oriented developments, saying urban growth should make more efficient use of existing infrastructure and land.
“It must be more connected and more resilient and inclusive. This is why we must move decisively towards integrated human settlements,” Mavima said.
ZPE board chairman Tawafadza Makoni said the property sector needed greater participation from women, young professionals, entrepreneurs, families and diaspora investors.
He said property development was not simply about buildings and transactions, but about converting land, capital and infrastructure into sustainable economic opportunities.
“The Zimbabwe Property Expo has deliberately positioned itself as a buyer-driven platform,” Makoni said.
He said the expo’s success should ultimately be measured by the quality of information exchanged, partnerships formed, confidence created and transactions generated.