Resettled farmers to lose land 23 October 2014 by Nelson Sibanda
Impoverished A1 farmers are in panic mode following reports that Zanu (PF)’s December congress is planning to sub-divide their land into plots and allocate them to party youths.
A1 farmers in Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland East Provinces told The Zimbabwean they had been warned that congress would resolve to “sub-divide our small six hectare plots”.
“Though we are not against the intended sharing of land, what we do not understand is why farmers with vast tracts of land like the first family would be spared,” said a Mashonaland Central farmer who could not be identified for security reasons.
The farmer, who is a war veteran and holds a senior position in the party, said a “big fish” was stalling the land audit to spare the larger A2 farms, most of which are occupied by top Zanu (PF) officials, security chiefs and some government officials.
Zanu (PF) youth who converged at a national congress in August demanded that they be allocated idle land as they had not benefited from the land “reform” exercise as they were too young when it started in 2000.
According to the source, the youths indicated that the majority of them were too young to participate in the agrarian programme when it started.
“Government should speed up the land audit so that youths can be allocated idle land … they should institute a system that fast tracks the land audit, while enabling access to underutilised land by youths for agricultural and residential purposes,” reads part of their demands.
When asked about the criteria used to decide to sub-divide A1 plots while sparing large idle A2 farms, Paddy Zhanda, the co-deputy minister for lands said: “The right person to comment is the minister for lands, Douglas Mombeshora.”
Zhanda indicated that the minister was out of the country and would only be accessible next week.
Despite many A2 farms lying idle, they have been spared while defenceless A1 farmers, whose land is already insufficient, have been targeted for re-distribution.
The first family is a multiple farm owner and recently the Grace Mugabe evicted poor families to extend her already sprawling estate in Mazowe.
Grace described the struggling families as gold panners destroying the vegetation and deserving the eviction.
“I applied for the land from the Mashonaland Central leadership and was duly allocated the farm,” said Grace,
who boasted of being given an offer letter by the Ministry of Lands after “applying for ownership of a conservancy owned by some whites.”
Oppah Muchinguri, the outgoing chairperson of the Zanu (PF) Women’s League, told party supporters at Grace’s Mazowe farm that a few party leaders had grabbed land at the expense of youth.
“President (Mugabe) is saying give farms to youths yet some people are busy giving the land to their own children. The thieves that the President has nursed have stolen mines and farms,” said Muchinguri, without mentioning names.
When asked if the country still had land to allocate the youths and those left out of the redistribution, Rugare Gumbo, Zanu (PF) spokesperson said: “The issue is being dealt with by the Ministry of Lands which knows how best to handle it.”
If Zanu (PF) goes ahead and partitions A1 farms while sparing the large A2 farms owned by the big fish, there are fears that thousands of struggling small scale farmers would pushed to the edge.
COMMENTS
Taizviziva kuti kutungana kwembudzi. Ndopihwa pangu naSabhuku wangu who is more reliable than mugabe_mombeshora land redistribution scam
They sowed a wind and are reaping a whirlwind. Now everyone in Zimbabwe is demanding land and not much food to be seen. Sad hey? Everyone can have land except the ones who know how to farm????
I know what you mean but not everyone is demanding land. It is just those that want to be paid for the acts they have carried out for certain Politicians. This merry-go-round will carry on until the snakes head is cut off. Getting rid of a dictatorship is never easy. At the moment we can count ourselves lucky that they are getting rid of themselves. Munangagwa’s accident will remind those that have forgotten that they are just human. My beliefs forbid me to desire the demise of another human being. How ever God has made us in such a way that the day you are born the clock starts to tick for your earthly death. There is nothing anyone can do about that. Some of us might even leave before the old man but his days are numbered just like anyone else. The only thing I can totally agree with Grace Mugabe is that many people have been hanging onto Mugabe’s coat. As the coat gets loose they start to fall. When he leaves this earth many are going to find themselves sinking into the Abyss of nothing less. For many it is too late for redemption. You made your bed. Now you will have to lie on it. AMANDHLA NGAWETHU.
Well-stated, Doc. And, when each reaches his demise here, his debt comes due… the question is, who will we owe, and how will we pay.
And, should the world last so long, what will happen 15 years from now when today’s kids tell those who are demanding land today, we were not old enough then, but it approaches 2030, and we demand you share your portion with us… Then, we will hear a different tale from those who howl today.
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander, eh.
Fallenz my brother, do you remember when reminisced about being on the bus from Mount Darwin to Detemba and all those places? These young boys and girls will be discussing how slow we were for freedom. When they read these archives, they will say thank you. We will be long gone. They will say FREE AT LAST. They won’t even care about tribe color or religion anyone is.They have already started. Have you heard the Ndebele SLANG Shona SLANG and English slang these children speak? Confusing to some.. Not to me. Our oppressors will be gone. I did miss you on this forum my brother. Welcome back.
Land should be given to all youth. It does appear that Zanu is a Tribal party when one reads who land etc is being allocated to . Vhuka Zimbabweans. We are all being taken for a ride.
People of Zimbabwe need to fight colonisation form ZANU PF and the land barons in the form of Mugabe and his family. Peasant were parcelled unproductive peaces of land which they treasure so much because they managed to have a place they call their on after Murambatsvina and extrem unemployment that resigned them in rural areas. Now the same system that evict them from town wants to follow them in the villages. The only worth thing is to stand up against the colonisation of the ZANU PF. How long should people bore down to the whims of a dictatorship in the form ZANU PF and Mugabe. Arise and show people power. PEOPLE POWER.
@Dr Do Little.
While I agree with your forward looking concerns for future generations of children to come and this country, I find your dark side of tribalism cast in stone very bald and very very baaaad. This country has 16 languages recognised in the current constitution. Why is it that you only hear children speak Ndebele, Shona, English slang? Does your future not find accomodation for children of the 13 remaining languages? You do realise that if truth be told, some of your favourite 3 languages are very colonial? Built on imperial accultuaration of harpless minority/defenseless tribes? I just thought if you pretend to stand for the truth, its about time you go for it the whole way by looking yourself up in the mirror and finding the shameful dirty spots before you go outside pretending to be smartly dressed up. This country is not for the English(u have witnessed how they eventually vanished in shame)or any othe stupid dialect that wants to masquarade as more equal than others. It is for 16 dialects and counting! Have you no shame? Shame on you.