Dr Mombeshora
Nyemudzai Kakore Herald Correspondent
Government has introduced a new data system that will curb multiple farm ownership by not allowing anyone who already has multiple farms under A1 or A2 to be allocated another piece of land.
The new database system is being implemented in conjunction with the Registrar-General’s Office and is part of Government strategy to weed out individuals who have multiple farms.
Under this system, data captured from the Registrar’s Office will be used to verify the particulars of allotees to ensure that those who use fake particulars are dealt with.
Addressing students at the Staff College on Challenges on Land and Rural Resettlement in Harare yesterday, Lands and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora said the new system is aimed at ensuring that each family is allocated one farm.
“There were indigenous people who had farms with title deeds which they owned but when the fast track land reform started they also went on to get pieces of land under the model A2 and A1. Most of them said they were entitled to free land as Zimbabwean people,” he said.
“We also had people who were allocated land under model A1 first and also got land under model A2 because we did not have a clear database, where we could cross check to see whether the persons had another piece of land.
“We use the identification card and the national identification number at the Registrar’s General Office because the office has a database of everyone. The Registrar General will cross check with our database to make sure that person has not been allocated piece of land anywhere else,”.
He said under the new system, the moment they enter an ID number the system shows whether the person was allocated land or not.
Dr Mombeshora’s sentiments come after Government unearthed irregularities in the allocation of farms during the land reform programme in 2014.
It emerged that some children as young as 10 years of age benefited from the programme.
Under the audit, it was also noted that the land reform programme was marred by double allocation of farms due to a mix up of names.
Dr Mombeshora said they were going to undertake a massive exercise to ensure that they evaluate all the farms.
He said a dispute resolution committee has been set up at national level to deal with disputes arising from the resettled farmers.
“We also have challenges of disputes among resettled farmers. Some of the disputes are related to boundaries and infrastructure because we have not been able to do surveys of all the new plots.
“The Ministry of Finance has agreed to fund the purchase of new equipment to provide the necessary finances to do the survey that by 2018, all the remaining close to 4 600 farms that have not been surveyed would be completed,” he said.