The’ ever shifting’ Zimbabwean government has reneged on its liberation war promise to restore to the people the ancestral lands taken by the racist former Ian Smith government. The government has decided to strip poor resettled farmers their citizenship rights to the land, treat them like foreigners, charging them rentals.
Lands and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora quoted by the state media has said Government will introduce land rentals for all resettled farmers to ensure maximum utilisation.At least 300 000 people have been resettled while an equal number is on the waiting list. Addressing participants recently at the National Defence College course 3 /2014 on the “Land Tenure System and its Implication on National Security”, Dr Mombeshora said A1 farmers will be charged a flat figure while A2 farmers will be charged per hectare.
Dr Mombeshora said part of the money will be used to conduct a land audit that will be carried out next year.
“Government has introduced land rentals which have been approved. What is remaining is to present it to Cabinet. What is now left are the figures. I have to sit down with the Minister of Local Government and Public Works Dr Ignatius Chombo to see what is the reasonable figure to charge our farmers,” he said.
Dr Mombeshora said all contract farmers and joint ventures were only allowed if they were registered with his ministry to curb the danger of farmers selling back the land to former colonisers.
He warned all resettled farmers not to lease land without approval from Government.
“Government is allowing contract farming, joint ventures and partnerships for resettled framers as long as they are registered with the Minister to ensure improved productivity,” he said.
He said Government was stressing the issue of maximum farm sizes according to ecological regions to ensure that as many people can assess land.
“During Phase One of the land reform covering the period 1980 to 1998, Government managed to resettle 71 000 households on 3,5 million hectares against a target of 162 000 households in the first 10 years.
“In October 1998, there was a donor conference organised to speed up the implementation of the land reform programme. Soon after the conference, the inception of phase two was implemented up to June 2000 and 4 697 families were resettled. – State Media
8 Replies to “Govt Performs U Turn on Land Reform, Starts Charging Rentals”
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Vanhu ava vava kuenderera, izvi zvazo nyanyawo manje.
Vamwe vachatiza nokuti hapana chavairima.Ndiyo inonzi Zimbabwe.Sendekera.
Saka vakuru vemuhurumende vakabvuta mapurazi vachabhadhara muripo uyu here?
Its called being critical not negative and every government needs that to be accountable. Government must defend and explain its position as well as attending to flaws in policy pointed out by criticism. When this fails to happen you will surely have failed governments and states (like in Zimbabwe at the moment)
The land or farms acquired were not or are not being redistributed equally and fairly. Others are getting thousands of acres instead of giving every one equal land say hundred acres per person regardless of who they are or which political party they support or how wealth they are, everyone hundred acres of land. This is what God wants for everyone, every Zimbabwean or migrants who come to our Country, to all get land, equal same as anyone else. Greedy people should be dealt away with. I think with Munangagwa this will be possible and he will do it. There will be enough land left as reserve. This land should not be sold but should be given free and no rent should be paid for it, it is a gift from God. AMEN. Messenger Of God
The land or farms aquired we’re not or are not being redistributed equally and fairly. Others are getting thousands of acres instead of giving every one equal land say hundred acres per person regardless if who they are or which political party they support or how wealth they are, everyone hundred acres of land. This is what God wants for everyone, every Zimbabwean or migrants to our Country to all get land, equal same as anyone else. Greedy people should be dealt away with. I think with Munangagwa this will be possible and he will do it. There will be enough land left as reserve. This land should not be sold but should be given free and no rent should be paid for it, it is a gift from God. AMEN. Messenger Of God
there is nothing bad ,this will encourage land utilization.why are u alway negative. Negativity is not always good journalism.You will never get an award for such type of Reports.instead u shld be asking how is the money going to be used?.
It sounds rather fraudulent to allow people to have occupancy & thereafter change the terms of agreement in a unilateral way. Why can this not be mentioned upfront in those offer letters?