223 *Peer Reviewed Evolution and the future of compensation for expropriation in Zimbabwe: A historical review Partson Paradza 1 ; Joseph Awoamim Yacim 2 ; and Benita G. Zulch 3 1 The University of Pretoria, Department of Construction Economics, cnr Lynnwood Road and Roper Street Hatfield, South Africa (u13099770@tuks.ac.za) 2 The University of Pretoria, Department of Construction Economics, cnr Lynnwood Road and Roper Street Hatfield, South Africa, (joseph.yacim@gmail.com) 3 The University of Pretoria, Department of Construction Economics, cnr Lynnwood Road and Roper Street Hatfield, South Africa (benita.zulch@up.ac.za) Abstract Zimbabwe has a rich history of compulsory land acquisition, dating to the origins of colonial rule in 1890. This history is documented in policy documents, print and social media, and academic publications. However, to the researchers' knowledge for a complete history of the trajectory followed by the laws guiding expropriation and compensation from 1890 to 2022, multiple sources must be consulted. Currently, limited work (if any) does not provide a complete picture of the genesis/evolution of statutory compulsory land acquisition laws covering the entire period. Thus, the purpose of this study was to provide a complete history of compensation for expropriation in Zimbabwe while pointing out issues relative to equity and natural justice that occurred during the period under review. This paper was based on desktop research from 2018 to 2023. Documents which included statutes and government policies were obtained online from the official websites of government institutions. Systematic content analysis was adopted, and data coding was done manually based on themes derived from the data. The findings of this study supported the view that compensation for expropriation in Zimbabwe is complex and the international community can help to bring closure to the issue. Keywords: Compensation, Evolution, Expropriation, Properties, Zimbabwe Introduction A lot of ink was invested in trying to answer the question: are expropriation laws in Zimbabwe fair? This question is also related to another question, is expropriation without compensation for land fair? These questions are complex, and the subject is emotional, hence unravelling it objectively is a daunting task. It is important to note that in as much as there exists a vast literature on compensation for expropriation the world over and the same subject has been extensively documented in Zimbabwe (Madhuku, 2004; Mlambo, 2005; Nmoma, 2008; Magaisa, 2010; Paradza, et al, 2021, Zulch, et al, 2022; Yacim, et al, 2022), there is no single document that provides a compendium of the evolution of compensation for expropriation in Zimbabwe. As such, one is forced to read several sources to get a complete picture. This study seeks to give a complete history of compensation in Zimbabwe from 1890 to 2023 to unravel the complexity of the subject and suggest a way forward. Specific objectives of this paper are to (1) identify statutory provisions guiding compensation for expropriated properties in Zimbabwe, (2) describe how the statutory provisions evolved from 1890 to 2023 and (3) explain the significance of the history of statutory provisions guiding compulsory acquisition and compensation on the current compensation dispute in Zimbabwe. The meaning of words differs with place and time; hence it is imperative to define key terms. Expropriation which is also known as compulsory land acquisition is used in this paper to mean the act of acquiring private land by the government without the owners’ consent. The dictionary definition of compensation was adopted which is “something, typically money, awarded to someone in recognition of loss, suffering, or injury”. In this case, compensation for expropriation means a monetary or nonmonetary award that is offered for the loss of land