The Zimbabwean government has said it will continue to engage the British government on the compensation of the land, which was repossessed during the Fast Track Land Reform program in 2000.

During his three-day state visit to Namibia, Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe had no regrets in repossessing its land and distributing it to its people and said the British had a role to play in compensating their kith and kin as was agreed at independence during the Margaret Thatcher era.

“We as Zimbabweans don’t regret the decision to take back our land. We did not take back the land in order to be productive. We took it back because it was ours. What we do with it is nobody’s business. It is up to our people to determine that and fortunately we want to make it productive and hence we will do that,” said Mnangagwa.

Addressing journalists in Namibia, Mnangagwa said he was happy with the new British Administration led by Prime Minister Borris Johnson. The President indicated that the British were willing to engage Zimbabwe on the issue of compensation.

“Fortunately the current United Kingdom government is willing to discuss the issue in order for them to contribute towards compensating their own kith and kin,” said Mnangagwa.

Zimbabwe is expecting to repair relations with the new administration of Prime Minister Johnson. The land issue is a contentious subject, which has led the West in imposing sanctions on the country.

Asked to the clarify on the compensation, Mnangagwa said it is the role of the British to compensate their own, whilst the government of Zimbabwe, will only compensate development and improvements that were done on the farms.

“Zimbabwe has not agreed to pay compensation on land. Get that clear. What we agreed in our Constitution is to pay compensation for improvements on land by those who had acquired our land. Initially, there was an agreement with the British to compensate their kith and kin,” he said.

The revelation by the President settles a debate on the subject of land compensation. The majority of Zimbabweans, feel the whites who were dispossessed from the land must not be paid, as the issue of land is the reason Zimbabweans went to war against the white minority rule, which had acquired large portions of land at the expense of the natives.