Ex-farmers’ compensation must be expedited

 The payment of compensation to the former farmers has been very slow since the launch of the land reform programme in 2000 which meant that there was no closure to the land redistribution exercise. 

As a result of delays in payment of compensation for improvements they made on the land, a good number of former farmers are in deep financial distress.  

Indeed, the Government has, over the past 19 years, indicated its willingness to pay and has actually paid some former farmers.  However, the economic challenges have hampered that process.

We see greater urgency on the part of the Second Republic to, as espoused in the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP); now make the outstanding payments in terms of the Constitution and the dictates of the bilateral investment promotion and protection agreements (Bippas) that the Government signed with governments of countries of origin of some former farmers.

In a joint statement, Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri and Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said:

“In this regard, the Ad Hoc Compensation working group, comprising Government officials and representatives of former farm owners, is working towards the computation and establishing the compensation quantum figure for farm improvements based on an agreed method of valuation. Given the significant progress made to date, it is anticipated that this comprehensive farm improvements valuation exercise will be completed by the end of May 2019.

“The completion of the work of the Ad Hoc Compensation Working Group will enable Government and former farm owners, in conjunction with cooperating partners, to progress towards closure of the land issue.”

On interim payments to some of the former farmers who have fallen on hard times, the ministers said the Government set aside RTGS$53 million in the 2019 national budget for that purpose. 

The Commercial Farmers’ Union (CFU), which represented all white former farmers during their time on the land and the compensation steering committee, are involved in the ongoing identification and registration exercise.

President Mnangagwa’s administration is walking its talk with regards to the compensation of the former farmers.  We are optimistic that the momentum would be maintained to bring finality to the matter. 

Also, the failure by the previous administration to pay the former growers was causing much financial discomfort among the former farmers, most of whom are living in penury. 

They exclusively lived off the land with no alternative sources of income.  The process underway may have come a little late for them, but they must be delighted that they will now be paid and their penury alleviated.  

It is important for the ex-farmers to understand what the national constitution says about compensation for agricultural land. 

It says the Government will pay compensation for improvements the former farmers made on the land, but will not pay compensation for the land itself which is an obligation of the former coloniser, Britain which spearheaded the mass evictions of blacks from their ancestral lands through a combination of brute force and draconian laws. 

 It is a historical fact that the ex-landlords did not pay a cent for the land they held.  They or their ancestors simply grabbed it from the indigenous people of this country, thus cannot expect the Government to reward them for that by paying compensation for the land. 

The involvement of the CFU in the registration of former growers is critical as it promotes fairness and thoroughness. 

The CFU knows its members better than the Government does and is in a better position to link authorities up with those who qualify for the relief payments. 

It is therefore likely that process will be done to the satisfaction of the CFU members on one hand and the Government on the other. 

The inclusive approach that is also being used in computing and establishing the compensation quantum figure for farm improvements based on an agreed method of valuation is critical as well. 

It is a welcome departure from the old unilateral approach when the Government alone valued the improvements on farms and told the ex-producers to accept or not to accept the payments.  

We expect the joint valuation teams to establish a more accurate inventory of farm equipment, assets and other valuable items that were lost as the land changed hands so that whoever is paid gets what they deserve and whatever money the Government pays is what it must pay.  At the end of the day, both sides must be happy with the process.

At another level, payment of full compensation to the CFU members will bring certainty on the part of the new land owners.  They will farm with no fear that someone might one day doorstep them demanding the land back.  After those they replaced are fully compensated, the new farmers will be better able to concentrate on their work to boost production for their benefit and that of the entire economy.