via Govt to dole out $10bn to white farmers – The Standard March 6, 2016
GOVERNMENT is working on setting up a $10 billion compensation fund to settle disputes and bring closure to the fast-track land reform exercise.
BY VICTORIA MTOMBA
Since government embarked on the land reform exercise 16 years ago, it has skirted the issue of compensation, blighting a seemingly noble objective to redress colonial imbalances.
On Wednesday, MDC-T legislator Eddie Cross told the visiting IMF head of Delegation Domenico Fanizza that government was working on a commercial farm compensation fund.
He said the comprehensive document was given to legislators on March 1. The document was inserted in legislators’ pigeonholes at Parliament.
In an interview on Friday, Cross said legislators were given the document and that the compensation included land, improvements, immovable assets, cattle and tractors.
“It’s a comprehensive compensation plan and could amount to $10 billion legal settlement.
“It’s the first time it has been indicated and it is in conflict with the traditional policy on compensation,” he said.
The document was written as a memorandum to legislators and had a January 7 2016 stamp from the Finance ministry. The memo was dated January 19 2016.
The instructions on the document state that the “Fund to be called the Land Compensation Fund is hereby established in terms of section 18 of the Public Finance Management Act (Chapter 22:19). The purpose of the fund is to provide resources for the payment of compensation to former farm owners whose farms were acquired by the state under the land reform programme and to enhance productivity on allocated land. The fund shall be administered by the secretary responsible for land and rural resettlement.”
Cross said the document would be tabled before Parliament for debate.
Fanizza told the parliamentary portfolio committee on Budget and Finance that the proposed fund was a good development and he would be grateful if people were informed about the document.
“I will be happy if your creditors know about it and it will change things for you. It’s not a question of government not affording it. Creditors are not after the money, but the principle,” he said.
“We should not be having a budget with contingency liability as we have a cash budget.”
Lands and Rural Resettlement minister Douglas Mombeshora, however, said he was not aware of the document as he was not responsible for compensation, which falls under the purview of Treasury.
“I do not know about the document you are talking about. I do not deal with compensation, we just give the Ministry of Finance the figures and the farms that need compensation,” he said.
The country embarked on a land reform programme in 2000 and allocated farms to previously marginalised locals.
A number of farmers who were allocated the land have failed to produce due to adverse weather conditions, unavailability of funding, lack of skills as well as unresolved issues of land tenure.
The government claims to be working on a land audit to flush out multiple farm owners, although no evidence of the process has been seen.
COMMENTS
I wonder why Eddie Cross is lying or is he still delusional or gone senile, had a frontal lobotomy or……oh, of course he will get a farm! Eddie, you are a disgrace in many respects but lying is never a nice trait to have. Am very glad you are in excellent company and be assured, you wont be outshone!
Pie in the sky. THERE IS NO MONEY – it has all been stolen, long, long ago. This is just The Mafia’s way of easing pressure by appearing to “show willing”. It is all nonsense and every Zimbo should know that.
Eddie Cross may well be right about the info pack given to MPs, and I can check this as my sister is also a member of parliament. However where does any half intelligent human being get the idea that Zimbabwe Government has any money. Why on earth would the Zimbabwe Govt take over the Chiadzwa diamond fields and incur the wrath of the Chinese Government if they weren’t struggling to find money to steal? Eddie Cross needs to get real.
Mr Cross. Please don’t speak falsehoods to the IMF. Please don’t encourage this institution to give a dime to this Zanu Pf dictatorship.
You are old enough to know that even if they were given the money for compensation that not a single commercial farmer would see a cent of it.
The MDC is notorious for selling out to Zanu pf for their own representatives selfish requirements.
Would it not be cheaper, easier and fairer to offer the farms back to the former owners ( with compensation for losses) and then fully compensate those who do not want to return. After all they have constitutional rights like any other Zimbabwean. That way zpf can create those 2 million jobs they promised and our country can start to prosper again.
I will believe that when I see it. ALL the money was stolen by ZPF ages ago, around $22 billion I believe.
The international Land Conference in about ’98 promised billions for agrarian reform – but no opportunity for patronage or graft. So naturally The Mafia rejected it out of hand.
THE GOVERNMENT ? TOO MANY DRUGS.
If the IMF believe that story, they will believe anything. Why don’t they ask the two simple questions and demand specific answers – HOW? and WHEN? Eddie Cross is a political prostitute.
No matter what anyone thinks or comments with regard the land issue. The World Bank, IMF, USA, UK and the European Union will never engage with the Zimbabwean Govt. in a meaningful way until the Zim Govt. addresses compensation. This is why the subject is coming up more often, Mr. Chinamasa has been told this in no uncertain terms by them all.
tHIS IS VERY MISCHIEVIOUS OF EDDIE CROSS, PUTTING THIS OUT, CLEARLY THERE IS NO MONEY FOR THIS PARTICULAR PLAN, PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY ARE BATTLING TO PAY THE CIVIL SERVICE.
THE ONLY PURPOSE THIS PARTICULAR UTTERANCE SERVED WAS TO GET A FEW PEOPLES HOPES UP YET AGAIN, TO NO AVAIL.
masendakho Eddie Cross
I agree with Moyokumusha.
But must compesate also all the farmer workers who lost their jobs.Some of them were also working there in the 3rd. Generation.When Zim. Was feeding SADC.
I agree with Moyokumusha.
But we must compesate also all the farmer workers who lost their jobs.Some of them were also working there in the 3rd. Generation.When Zim. Was feeding SADC.