THE land allocation process does not allow the minister
responsible for lands to exercise preference on both the identification of
farms to be downsized and prospective farmers to be allocated that land.
This was said by Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural
Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri, who also dismissed allegations of
tribalism in the exercise.
He said a farmer, Colonel Protarcius Ngwenya (Retired),
whose farm is among those identified for downsizing by the Mashonaland Central
Provincial Lands Committee, is trying to use the tribal card to win public
sympathy.
Col Ngwenya (Rtd) has since written to Minister Shiri and
copied the letter to President Mnangagwa and Vice President Kembo Mohadi
portraying himself as a victim of tribalism following the downsizing of his
Southwell Farm.
The maximum allowed farm size for natural Region Two is 400
hectares yet his farm measures 656,79ha and was reported to be subletting 60ha
of the land to another farmer.
He was utilising only 20ha.
“Over the past three to four months, the Ministry of Lands,
Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement has dealt with more than 30 cases
where downsizing of farms was done. It is essential to mention that many more
cases of that nature are still coming from the provinces. The trend clearly
shows that no individual farmer is being targeted in that exercise.
“In the case of Col Ngwenya (Rtd), he is a beneficiary of
the land reform programme and was allocated Southwell Farm, measuring 656,79ha
in Concession, Mashonaland Central Province. The whole farm is almost arable,
but only a maximum of about 80ha out of the 656,79ha was being utilised for
cropping. Over and above that, there is a herd of about 90 cattle. Of the said
80ha farming operations, 60ha were being used by a farmer who had entered into
some form of gentlemen’s agreement with Rtd Col Ngwenya.
“Col Ngwenya was utilising only 20ha out of the 80ha. It is
prudent to highlight that the agreement was not endorsed by the Ministry of
Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement as required by law,” said
Minister Shiri.
The Provincial Lands Committee recommended the downsizing
of the farm and allocate the extra land to more beneficiaries.
“I have known Rtd Col Ngwenya since 1976. He is a war
veteran and a good friend of mine, but always uses tribalism as a weapon to get
what he wants. There are a number of cases where he has used the tribal card to
try to seek attention,” Minister Shiri said.
He explained the procedure in downsizing farms.
“After receiving recommendations from the respective
provincial lands committee, the ministry proceeds to formally advise the
current landholder of Government’s intention to downsize his/her farm clearly
indicating the reasons as to why it has been deemed necessary to downsize the
farm.
“In that letter of notice, the farmer is requested to
indicate his/her acceptance or disapproval of the proposed downsizing within a
period of seven days from the period of receiving the notice of the intention
to downsize his/her farm.
“If the affected farmer has got issues to raise, he/she
raises them with the Ministry,” Minister Shiri said. Herald
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