Story by Panashe Nagoli
GOVERNMENT has outlined clear procedures for property owners under the Title Deeds Validation and Digitisation Programme, a key initiative aimed at curbing fraud and duplication.
Under Statutory Instrument 76 of 2025, holders of old title deeds have a mandatory 24-month window to submit their documents for validation. After this period, only securitised deeds will be legally recognised.
The programme is built on three pillars, validation, securitisation and digitisation, resulting in a new title deed printed on secure paper with embedded anti-fraud features.
Chief Registrar in the Department of Deeds, Companies and Intellectual Property, Mr Willie Mushayi, explained the process:
“A title deed holder is expected to approach a conveyancer of their choice, who will upload the deed and its details, thereby initiating the validation process through the Registrar-General’s Office to check for authenticity. The process is expected to take approximately two days, after which a securitised deed will be issued.”
Beyond validation, government has already begun digitising records, with archived deeds being scanned to create a secure digital database.
“We have already started scanning the deeds to prepare a digital archive. There is a need to expedite this process, and digitisation will go a long way in improving efficiency,” Mr Mushayi said.
Stakeholders in the property sector have welcomed the move, citing long-standing challenges with fraudulent and duplicated documents.
Conveyancer Takudzwa Talent Shonhiwa said securitised deeds will streamline transactions, while Estates Agents Council of Zimbabwe Registrar Mr Alex Chidindi noted the reforms will significantly reduce cases of fake title deeds.
The initiative aligns with National Development Strategy 2, which prioritises digital transformation, innovation and improved public service delivery.
