Chipinge farmer, and retired Swiss banker, Richard Le Vieux, who has established a successful business exporting coffee, avocados and macadamia nuts for the past 30 years, is a relieved man after his farm was saved from seizure by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Part of Le Vieux’ Farfell Coffee Estate had been allocated to Remembrance Mbudzana, the son of Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister Ellen Gwaradzimba.
Le Vieux has since released a video saying that his farm had been saved from ‘opportunistic seizures’ by the President and Cabinet.
Said Le Vieux,
The last few months there has been some confusion as to the correct title and tenure of this land by the company. And I’m happy to say that this has been dealt with effectively by the cabinet, by the president.
It sends a positive signal to all who are producing and exporting in the country that we cannot have disruptions and we cannot have instability and we cannot have opportunistic seizures of assets, which is exactly what was going on in my case. imply for short term gain. What you’re looking at here gentlemen is a 25-year investment. it’s not overnight, and it’s not easy.
Acting Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Oppah Muchinguri announced the Cabinet’s decision in a statement recently.
Mr Mbudzana had been offered a portion of the estate (Lot 1) but after considering the investments and production currently taking place on that portion of the farm, Government decided to revoke the offer letter and find him alternative land.
“After taking all factors into consideration, Cabinet resolved and directed as follows (a) that Mr Le Vieux be issued with an offer letter for his portion of Farfell Coffee Estates, that is Lot 2 (220 hactares) in keeping with the Government framework of maximum farm sizes (b) that if he so wishes, Mr Le Vieux be issued with an appropriate lease agreement with respect to Lot 1, so as to guarantee continuity of the very productive and strategic commercial operations currently taking place at Lot 1; (c) that the offer letter of Lot 1 (229 hectares) to Mr Mbudzana be consequently revoked; and (d) that as, any Zimbabwean, Mr Mbudzana can be considered for land allocation in other available areas in Chipinge District,” Minister Muchinguri said.
Mr Le Vieux expressed satisfaction with Government’s decision.