President Robert Mugabe and his cronies have seized over 9million hectares of commercial farm land since the year 2000, an official government land audit says.
The report revealed in parliament last week, shows that none of the so called poor blacks originally meant for land reform have benefited from Mugabe’s often violent land grab exercise which has paralyzed Zimbabwe’s economy for the long period equivalent to the Zimbabwe Chimurenga war’s entire 16 year duration (1963 to 1979).
To add to the embarrassment, under former Prime Minister Ian Smith’s government, 75% of fertile land was owned by the rich upper-class, but 36 years after independence that statistic has to the contrary shot up to 98%.
The long awaited land audit commenced early this month after pressure from opposition MPs. It was availed by Lands and Rural Resettlement deputy minister Berita Chikwama after being pressured by MDC-T Senator Michael Carter to reveal details on the size of land occupied by A1, A2 farmers.
Replied Chikwana, “As of now, the following statistics are relevant to the question at hand. Hectrage under A1: 5 979 million; hectrage under A2: 3 498 million.
“There are no title deed holders on land previously owned by commercial farmers as this land is allocated on the basis of offer letters which graduate into 99 year leases and permits.”
She said the country is sitting on 15 million hectares of commercial land of which the rest is still in the hands of white commercial farmers untouched by Mugabe’s program.
“We were holding 15 million hectares but as we go, you will find that the statistic that I gave you is only 9.4 million hectares,” she said.
She added, “there are also some white farmers who are still occupying some of the land and if we add it to that with some pieces of land, we are going to come up with 15 million hectares.”
She said the land audit is still to be finalised. Her boss Douglas Mombeshora at the end of May this year announced a 9-member commission chaired by Commissioner Tendai Bare. The land audit is now to address cases of multiple land ownership, land disputes and investigate reports that some resettled farmers are leasing out farms to white commercial farmers among other issues.
Announcing the commission two weeks ago, Mombeshora said the constitution makes provision for the creation of a land commission, whose mandate is to ensure accountability, fairness and transparency in the administration of agricultural land vested in the state.
The commission is also expected to bring sanity to the confusion surrounding the allocation of offer letters, which has led to clashes with two or more beneficiaries claiming title to the same pieces of land.
“Treasury is expected to avail funding to ensure that the programme is a success,” said Mombeshora.
Commissioner Bare is deputised by Mr Tadious Muzoroza.
Other members of the commission include Retired Major Abdul Nyati, Ms Janet Manjengwa, Ms Judith Buzuzi, Mr Emmanuel Nyamusa, Ms Margaret Chinamhora, Mr Edmore Ndudzo and Mr Luke Buka.
Observers have noted that the setting up of a land commission is important for the successful implementation of the ZANU PF’s economic blueprint ZIM ASSET program.