Govt reverses discriminatory land policy
Tabitha Mutenga Supplements Editor
GOVERNMENT has issued a directive for white farmers to be issued with 99-year leases instead of five-year leases subject to renewal upon meeting “certain conditions”.
In a letter addressed to acting provincial land officers from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement, land officers were instructed to immediately issue the farmers with 99-year leases.
“Please be informed that the Minister of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement has directed that all remaining white farmers be issued 99-year leases instead of the five-year leases as per the previous arrangement,” reads the January 3,2017 letter.
According to government, the 99-year lease, as a long-term property document, will allow land beneficiaries to invest on the land without fear of losing the property.
Presenting the 2018 National Budget, Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa instructed government to speed up the issuance of the 99-year leases as they were constraining financial institutions.
“Besides, the document is required to give confidence to beneficiaries that their occupancy is guaranteed, and cannot be withdrawn willy-nilly, through the indiscipline of youths, political leaders, traditional leaders or senior officials. Government is undertaking to institute measures to strengthen the legal standing of offer letters and 99-year leases. This enables the much needed farm investments, improved utilisation of land and, therefore, production,” Chinamasa said.
Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri confirmed the policy change to The Financial Gazette yesterday, saying the land was for all Zimbabweans, “whether white, black or green.”
“Why should we categorise the land? The land belongs to all Zimbabwean citizens. The whites should be given the 99-year leases and offer letters as well,” Shiri said.”
He added that it was government’s view that the 99-year leases gave farmers enough time to plan and invest properly in their farming activities instead of five years.
“Offer letters that cover 99 years justify the much needed investment instead of five years. It is not ZANU-PF or government policy that whites should not be given offer letters or 99-year leases,” he added.
Zimbabwe’s land redistribution exercise has been a bone of contention between the government and the former land owners.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa pledged to build the Land Commission’s capacity to deal with all outstanding land issues to ensure that former landowners are compensated according to the laws of the country.