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Author
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Erini, Leon
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Title
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Assessing fairness and effectiveness in land compensation practices in the context of urban development. The case of Guruve Growth point, Mashonaland Central province, Zimbabwe
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Abstract
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Globally, ensuring fair and effective land compensation during urban expansion is a significant developmental hurdle. Despite significant global efforts and existing legal frameworks for land acquisition, the accelerating urban expansion worldwide consistently faces the critical, unresolved challenge of ensuring fair and effective compensation for displaced populations, primarily due to procedural flaws, inadequate valuations, and the neglect of comprehensive livelihood restoration and socio-cultural dimensions. Therefore, this study assessed fairness and effectiveness in land compensation practices, in the context of urban development, using a Case Study of Guruve Growth Point in Mashonaland Central Province, Zimbabwe. Questionnaire surveys, focus group discussions and key-informants’ interviews were used as instruments to collect data from a sample of 75 households affected by urban expansion and key informants which included local authority officials, district development coordinator and officials as well as officers from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development. This study is hinged upon its key objectives encompassing an assessment of the adequacy and fairness of compensation packages offered to villagers displaced by urban expansion in Guruve District, examining the role of community engagement and participation in shaping the compensation practices and outcomes in Guruve District, assessing the legal frameworks governing communal land acquisition and compensation land acquisition and compensation in Zimbabwe as well as analyzing the effects of urban expansion and compensation to socio-economic well-being of families affected by land acquisition. Key findings of this research revealed inadequate compensation, lack of community engagement and involvement in decision-making and significant negative impacts on affected families’ socio-economic well-being due to loss of agricultural livelihoods. Recommendations were suggested that land acquisition and compensation frameworks be reviewed and revised, prioritize thorough and constant community consultations, actively engaging the community in decision-making processes with utmost transparency and accountability as well as to prioritizing the provision of alternative land before commencing any land acquisition. This helps in ensuring fairness and adequacy by moving towards context-specific compensation packages that meticulously account for differential investments, land use and livelihood dependencies of affected communities.
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Date
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June 2025
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Publisher
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BUSE
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Keywords
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urban expansion
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land compensation
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land acquisition
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Supervisor
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Dr. J Makambanga
ERINI LEON .pdf