A housing project being implemented by the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities in Mashonaland East Province – Marondera.

The Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities, Honourable Dr. Zhemu Soda, has emphasised densification as a key strategy for accelerating housing development in Zimbabwe. Speaking during an interview with ZBC TV, Dr. Soda highlighted the importance of proper planning to balance housing needs with agricultural sustainability.

“As we avail land for housing, we must remain mindful that our population is growing. We cannot allocate all land to housing alone; productive agricultural land must be preserved to ensure food security for the growing population,” he said.

The Zimbabwe National Human Settlements Policy (ZNHSP), defines densification as a term used by planners, designers, and developers to describe the increasing density of people living in settlements. It further indicates that, all productive agricultural land shall be preserved as such, further stipulating that at least 40% of land for human settlements development shall be reserved for development of high-rise apartments.

“The policy speaks to densification, where we are encouraging all developers to plan and construct houses vertically,” Dr. Soda added.

Densification is also a central pillar of the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), which identifies urban densification as a key approach to optimising land use in urban and peri-urban areas. This strategy responds to population growth, land scarcity, and the need to enhance the aesthetic appeal of cities and towns, in line with the Zimbabwe National Human Settlements Policy launched in 2020.

The ZNHSP further posits that all new urban developments will be guided by densification principles. Open spaces and derelict structures will be redeveloped into high-rise and multi-storey buildings, including modern flats, cluster housing, and mixed-use commercial developments. This approach aims to promote efficient land utilisation, reduce urban sprawl, modernise cityscapes, and support sustainable urban growth. Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities is already applying the densification model in several projects. These include the construction of flats in provinces which include Mashonaland East, Harare, and Midlands, with additional projects planned for Mashonaland West and Matabeleland North Provinces