The High Court has ordered President Emmerson Mnangagwa to release a report by a Commission of Inquiry into the sale of state land.
The report, compiled over six years ago, looked into illegal land sales and unregulated urban settlements by developers, often called “land barons,” who were accused of selling state land without permission.
President Mnangagwa and the Attorney-General were sued in September 2023 by former legislator Allan Norman Markham.
Markham argued that not publishing the report violates Section 62 of the Constitution, which gives citizens the right to access information held by the state for public accountability.
Markham, represented by Alec Muchadehama and Andrew Makoni of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, said the report exposes large-scale illegal land sales, financial losses to the state of about US$2.97 billion, and the roles of various individuals and institutions.
He argued that keeping the report secret prevents the public from understanding corruption and mismanagement.
Before going to court, Markham had tried since 2019 to get the report published through parliamentary questions, petitions, and letters to President Mnangagwa and relevant ministers, but received no response.
In their defence, President Mnangagwa and the Attorney-General argued that releasing the full report could violate other people’s rights.
The Commission of Inquiry, led by Justice Tendai Uchena, was set up after illegal settlements appeared in urban areas, often built on state land without proper facilities such as water, electricity, roads, schools, or clinics.
Many people had lost money due to double sales and illegal housing projects. The Commission’s creation was welcomed by the public, who hoped its recommendations would bring order to chaotic land development.
On 24 December 2025, Justice Maxwell Takuva ruled that withholding the report violated citizens’ constitutional right to access information.
He said the right to information is enforceable and not optional. Justice Takuva added that keeping the report secret showed opacity, secrecy, and a lack of accountability.
He said it went against the principles of good governance and the values of transparency, justice, and responsiveness set out in the Constitution.
The court ordered President Mnangagwa to make the Commission of Inquiry Report on the sale of state land in urban areas since 2005 publicly available within 90 days of the judgment.
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