via White farmers to be vetted: Govt | The Herald October 13, 2015
Government has not yet issued offer letters to white farmers who were recommended by provinces to stay on their farms as they will first be subjected to strict vetting before receiving security of tenure documents. Lands and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora revealed that his ministry had received recommendations from some provinces to issue offer letters to white farmers considered to be strategic in those regions.
He, however, said his ministry was still to issue even a single offer letter to a white farmer as strict vetting needed to be carried out first. “We have not yet issued any offer letter to a white farmer although we have received recommendations from most provinces to issue certain white farmers with offer letters. It is not a one-day exercise, because there are a lot of things that need to be done before we issue them with offer letters,’’ he said.
“As Government, we need to look at each of the white farmers one by one to establish whose interests they represent because we have some instances where the white farmers will have been recommended to get an offer letter on the basis of being linked to a powerful person. We need to unravel things like that and get satisfied that the white farmer in question is really committed to Zimbabwe,’’ he said.
The Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement has received recommendations from provinces around the country to issue offer letter to scores of white farmers considered to run operations of strategic economic importance. Among the white farmers recommended were those specialising in areas such as dairy farming, poultry and hybrid bull production.
Dr Mombeshora said white farmers with loyalty to powerful individuals will not get offer letters as the most important qualification to get that document was loyalty to the interests of all Zimbabweans. “We are still studying the recommendations from the provinces and we will act after carrying out thorough vetting of the white farmers. Provinces do not have the power to issue offer letters. They can only make recommendations and we (Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement) act on the advice of those recommendations,’’ he added.
In Masvingo, the provincial lands committee has recommended that six white farmers be issued with offer letters after their operations were classified as being of strategic economic importance to the province. The white farmers are involved in sugar cane farming in Chiredzi, dairy farming in Gutu and Masvingo districts, hybrid bull production in Mwenezi and poultry production.
Among those recommended is Ms Hellen Mitchell, who produces 100 000 day-old chicks a week at her Barquest Farm, about 20km east of Masvingo on the shores of Lake Mutirikwi. Part of Mrs Mitchell’s 367-hectare farm had been gazetted for acquisition under the land reform programme. Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi had been given an offer letter to take over part of the farm.
However, the Masvingo provincial leadership, led by provincial affairs Minister Senator Shuvai Mahofa, blocked the move saying Ms Mitchell’s operations were of strategic importance to Masvingo province’s economy.
COMMENTS
What a bunch of racists deciding if the “White farmer” can keep his own property that the farmer paid for and has title deeds to prove it! Only in Zimbabwe
What, so they can be stolen agaion when the crops are ready to harvest? Voetsak, idiots!
Normally only livestock are “vetted”. Humans tend to go and see a doctor. This must be something new.
What a bunch of clowns!! They should have vetted the non performing beneficiaries of the so called “land reform”.
Thomas Paine Rights of Man
Categories: Constitutionalism
Date: 1791
A Constitution is not the act of a Government, but of a people constituting a government, and a government without a constitution is a power without right.
if the (white) farmer in question is a zimbabwean citizen, then by what criteria and right does the minister decide whether he / she is committed to zimbabwe?
this type of arbitrary rule by personal preferences of powerful individuals has proved over the centuries to be counterproductive in terms of the sound development of nations.
let the minister act only within the framework of the constitution.
So who decides which farm the white farmer will get an offer letter for? Betcha the farm will be so stuffed up that it will take millions of bucks to ressurect. The idiot farmer will then put himself up to his neck in hock – get an amazing crop going – then roundabout reaping time……guess what……do I have to go on?
2015 and Mombeshora is saying “we have to vet these whites one by one and establish whose interests they represent and if they are really committed to Zimbabwe. We must see if their skills have strategic important before we consider an offer letter. It is complicated and it is not a one day process.”
But how come in 2000 any bunch of drunkards could be transported to a jambunja and within 24 hours they can start living in the farmhouse and selling the tractors?
What a bunch of clowns-although not funny at all.So a good and commited farmer should do his job and for the benefit of all Zimbabweans distribute his produce for free to all the hungry and poor.The best thing that could really help Zim. is if these clowns take their circus and move on ,at best in the middle of the congo jungle and present their show there.I bet the chimpanzies will be laughing..(over them) and they will be thinking ,hey we are doing a pretty good job.
And these lunatics get offended when you pointy out that they are raving racists. From what I’ve seen, its the few remaining white Zimbos who keep the place (sort of) running.
My dog has been vetted and he can’t get a hard on now NEVER mind make puppies// What are they teaching these new farmers at these agricultural colleges nowadays//Must be a ZIM first for the world to marvel at and admire//I Wonder if it involves MAD MADE //Has he been vetted do you think??//YOU HAVE TO LAUGH OR YOU CRY//
Tourism and “Hospitality” Industry Minister, what a joke!