Paul Nyathi

White farmers, who were evicted from their land almost 20 years ago under the ZANU PF government’s chaotic land reform program, are set to benefit from a landmark deal: On average, each of the 3,500 farmers who applied for compensation will receive almost US$1 million.

The Commercial Farmers’ Union (CFU) and government representatives agreed to the US$3.5 billion deal following lengthy negotiations. Half of this sum is expected to be distributed within one year, while the remaining payments will be spread over the following five years.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa hailed the new compensation plan as a “historic in many respects,” while CFU President Andrew Pascoe branded it a “miracle.”

Addressing a post cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the decision was not only a fulfilment of aspirations of Zimbabweans as expressed in the 2013 constitutional referendum, but was on the basis of Zanu PF election manifesto, which it campaigned for and won in 2018 harmonised elections.

“Zanu PF was elected inclusively on the basis of that political undertaking. Let it be also noted that the signing of the Global Compensation Agreement on July 27, 2020, was a fulfilment of the aspirations of the Zimbabwean people as expressed in the referendum of March 16, 2013. In that instance, nearly 95 percent of the population endorsed the new Constitution with the quoted provisions therein,” she said.

She said compensating white former farmers for the improvements that they had put on their farms did not in any way mean that Government was reversing the land reform programme.

“This mischief is purveyed by the loony and extreme right wing circles, just that they camouflage with the mantle of left-wing populism and infantile pan-African radicalism,” she said.

She said Zanu PF was a revolutionary party that fought a non-racial and just struggle for majority rule.

On the economy, Minister Mutsvangwa said the government had introduced a raft of measures to stabilise prices that included the foreign exchange auction system, much to the relief of Zimbabweans.

“The opposition and their foreign handlers, with their varying ignorance and mischief, have been trying to create a psychosis of crisis. On the other side President Mnangagwa has been busy on a positive and rewarding trajectory much to the relief of the people of Zimbabwe. He has signed a raft of astute Statutory Instruments that have since tamed a wild west jungle that was hitherto the monetary and foreign exchange markets,” she said.