Political Reporter-President Emmerson Mnangagwa systematically dismantles the late Robert Mugabe’s controversial land reform policies.
Mugabe’s radical land reform program, launched in 2000, saw white commercial farms seized and title deeds abolished as land was nationalised under 99-year leases.
This policy was a cornerstone of Mugabe’s defiance against Western influence and a defining aspect of his rule.
Farmers allocated land could not sell it, as it was considered state property.
However, since coming to power through a military coup in November 2017, Mnangagwa has subtly begun reversing Mugabe’s policies.
Reports indicate his administration is leasing land back to white farmers and introducing new tenure systems that prioritise a market-oriented approach.
Today, Mnangagwa will preside over a controversial ceremony at his Precabe Farm in Kwekwe, where title deeds will be handed to select individuals, including political allies who benefited from the chaotic land redistribution program.
“Tomorrow (today), I will be launching the new land tenure implementation program as we consolidate the gains of land reform,” Mnangagwa told his party’s politburo. He claimed the initiative would enhance security of tenure, access to financing, and agricultural productivity.
The new policy halts the issuance of 99-year leases, offer letters, and permits, prioritising veterans of the liberation struggle, youths, and women under the new system.
Mnangagwa emphasised that agricultural land regularised under the program would remain transferrable only among indigenous Zimbabweans, excluding communal land overseen by traditional chiefs.
The President painted a picture of progress under his leadership, citing infrastructure development, dam construction, and mechanisation programs as evidence of his government’s support for farmers.
Yet, critics argue these moves undermine Mugabe’s legacy while cloaking a strategic effort to consolidate power by appeasing influential stakeholders, including those who benefited from land redistribution.
A Cabinet Oversight Committee, chaired by Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri will spearhead the reforms, supported by a Land Tenure Implementation Committee to oversee execution.
Mnangagwa insists these committees will develop improved land tenure systems to boost economic development and ensure accountability.
This shift in land policy marks a defining chapter in Zimbabwe’s history, as Mnangagwa attempts to rewrite the narrative of land ownership and erase the ideological underpinnings of Mugabe’s legacy.