TWENTY years after a violent takeover of white-owned
commercial farms by the Zanu-PF regime led by the late former President Robert
Mugabe, the new administration led by his former deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa has
agreed to fork out more than £3 billion as compensation for capital assets, it has
emerged.
According to the new agreement reportedly reached on
Monday, which is yet to be made public, the government is likely to part with
£3 billion after more than a decade of intense negotiations.
Reports said the Zimbabwean government agreed to pay about
50% of the value of the capital assets such as buildings, livestock and
machinery on farms, which amounts to some £2,8 billion spread out between 3 200
evicted farmers.
Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) director Ben Gilpin said the
union would issue a comprehensive statement on the matter next week as it was
premature to do that now.
"It is premature for us to comment on it. There is no
finalised agreement, so it is premature to comment on it. We hope within a week
or so, we will give you something more definitive," he said.
Agriculture minister Perrance Shiri was not picking up
calls yesterday, but Information secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana said the policy
was that government should compensate the farmers.
Mangwana referred questions to Shiri and Treasury.
"It is an operational matter, so you need to talk to
Treasury or (Ministry of) Lands. Policy is that we are going to compensate for
improvements, now the detail on how will only come from those people. I have
given you policy," he said.
Finance secretary George Guvamatanga was also not picking
calls. The agreement, which is being treated with caution, is
expected to be signed within weeks.
Concerns have been raised, however, on how the
cash-strapped government will be able to pay and where the money will likely
come from as government is currently unable to get international loans.
There has been scepticism on whether the money would be
paid, with Doug Taylor-Freeme, a former long-serving president of the CFU
saying: "The deal agreed with the government is positive, but I will
remain wary of how it is structured."
One farmer who attended the CFU briefing, which was closed
to the media, said: "We don't believe Zimbabwe will ever have money to pay
us. But maybe one day my grandchildren will get some of the money."
In March, government said it had started repossessing land
to compensate indigenous and white former commercial farmers affected by the
2000 land reform programme. Newsday
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