Zimbabwe’s Land Reform remains irreversible with Government
efforts now focused on improving agricultural productivity, Information,
Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said last night
in a post-Cabinet media briefing.
Her remarks followed a joint Press conference by Lands,
Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Anxious Masuka and his
Finance and Economic Development counterpart Professor Mthuli Ncube.
The two were clarifying the recent Global Compensation Deed
between Government and white former commercial farmers which deals with
constitutionally-required compensation for improvements made by the previous
owners.
“There is absolutely nothing that should be misinterpreted
from this agreement. It’s very clear. It’s not a form of land reform reversal.
What Zimbabwe now want is agricultural productivity that’s what we want,”
Minister Mutsvangwa said.
“So going forward the Government’s priority in agriculture
is to increase production and productivity through the collaborative efforts of
all Zimbabweans. This include skills transfer from the former owners to the
resettled farmers and the provision of an attractive land tenure system that
will be supportive of increased levels of investment on our farms.”
In his Monday briefing, Minister Ncube clarified the
security of tenure for former farm owners still on the land, indigenous farmers
and those that farms covered by Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection
Agreements and were affected during the Land Reform programme that redressed
colonial land imbalances.
Former farm owners on compulsorily acquired land should
urgently regularise their tenure through designated Government institutions
before consideration could be made for the issuance of 99-year leases.
Those who had already gone through the processes, like any
Zimbabwean, and who already held offer letters could proceed to apply for
99-year leases.
Farm owners who are indigenous Zimbabweans or citizens of
countries which had ratified investment agreements or bilateral investment treaties
with Zimbabwe at the time their land was compulsorily acquired for resettlement
are entitled to compensation for both land and improvements.
Minister Mutsvangwa said the compensation of improvements
on the farms was provided for in the Constitution which was endorsed in 2013
and all Government was doing was implementing the provisions. Herald
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