Mnangagwa Loses $124M UK Land Grab Appeal
29 October 2024
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United Kingdom: The highest Court of Appeal has dismissed Zimbabwe’s long-standing land invasion dispute of a US$124 million arbitration award forcing Harare to pay farmers who lost their land during the controversial land invasions of 2000. 

Harare wanted to evade paying the compensation using the UK’s State Immunity Act (SIA), under which States may be immune from the jurisdiction of United Kingdom courts.

The case stems from the country’s controversial land reform program initiated in 2000, which forcibly acquired farms from approximately 4,000 white farmers amid violent upheaval. 

The program, aimed at correcting colonial land injustices, has strained relations between Harare and the UK.

The court ruled that Zimbabwe could not invoke the UK’s State Immunity Act to escape enforcement of an International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) award. 

Legal experts noted that this decision could significantly impact the enforcement of investor-state awards globally. 

The award was secured under a bilateral investment treaty with Switzerland, addressing expropriated land and foreign currency claims. 

As Zimbabwe’s government prepares to compensate affected farmers, this ruling highlights ongoing challenges related to its land policies and sour diplomatic ties with the UK.

Source: Zim Gazette