Implications of peri-urban land reform programs on urban land markets: a case study of Harare, Zimbabwe

This paper investigates the implications of Zimbabwe's Fast-Track Land Reform Program (FTLRP) on urban land markets in Harare. Using document review and key informant interviews, the study reveals a complex peri-urban land reform process driven by political interests. The FTLRP distorted urban planning, leading to disparities in land markets, informal land access, rapid development of informal settlements, and exploitation by political elites and land barons. The paper concludes that politically driven land reform negatively affects sustainable urban development and offers policy recommendations for improving land reform programs in African peri-urban areas.

Johannes Bhanye, Abraham R. Matamanda, Jennilee Kohima, Elmond Bandauko