Mugabe warns ‘dubious’ farmers
Written by Thelma Chikwanha, Deputy News Editor
Sunday, 17 June 2012 13:40
HARARE – President Robert Mugabe has castigated beneficiaries of the land
reform programme who are not utilising the land allocated to them warning
they risk having their land re-distributed.
Speaking during the Women’s Assembly meeting held at the Zimbabwe Institute
of Public Management (Zipam) on Friday, Mugabe said he was disappointed by
some of the beneficiaries who are now leasing out the land to commercial
white farmers.
“Land is not being utilised fully, some of the land is being farmed by
whites. We shall sit down with them and warn them. If you are not interested
in the land we will take it back,” Mugabe said.
Mugabe’s remarks come at a time when the country once regarded as the
continents’ bread basket has literally become a basket case as it is failing
to feed its own people.
After the chaotic land reform programme which started in 2000 more than 4
000 white commercial farmers lost their land which was redistributed to
about 160 000 people, the majority who are Zanu PF card-carrying members.
According to the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU), during its peak,
agriculture employed over 20 000 people, but after the land reform programme
16 000 jobs were lost.
The manner in which the land reform programme was carried out crippled the
sector which used to contribute significantly to the country’s economy.
At its pick Zimbabwe was able to export its surplus grain to other countries
in the region but now the country which consumes 1,8 million tonnes of maize
is failing to feed its people and has to import from countries that it used
to supply with grain such as Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi.
The country needs to import 500 000 tonnes to avert hunger this year.
Mugabe who has been asked to intervene on behalf of farmers whose
electricity was cut off by Zesa after failing to settle their bills, blamed
the MDC for the problems bedevilling the agricultural sector.
“Electricity bills are a problem to everyone. These delays are because the
MDC does not want to promote agriculture. They want it to appear as if
blacks are not good farmers so that they can bring back the whites. That
will not happen. We will never again allow our land to be in their hands,”
Mugabe said.