THE FAT OF THE LAND
The Sunday Times – 25 April 2010
Zimbabwe’s anticipated land audit is expected to unearth irregularities in land redistribution and expose the country’s new politically-connected landlords, including President Robert Mugabe and his family.
The investigation, if not stemmed by Mugabe and his family.
The investigation, if not stemmed by Mugabe and his loyalists, will confirm that most of the beneficiaries of Zimbabwe’s controversial land reforms were top politicians, senior civil servants and high-ranking army, police and intelligence officers.
After Zanu-PF and MDC negotiators recently agreed to launch an official inquiry into the land ownership issue, a thorough and comprehensive probe is expected soon. The latest report on talks says negotiators have agreed that:
· A land audit be conducted;
· Parties arrange a session with the Minister of Land and Rural Resettlement to discuss the composition of the Land Audit Commission and;
· There was need for an inter-party structure to monitor and coordinate the commission.
The negotiators also agreed that there be a uniform tenure system throughout the country.They also agreed all land acquired under the land reform programme be held under freehold tenure subject to the following conditions:
· Only citizens will be entitled to acquire and take title of land;
· First registration of agricultural land for beneficiaries under the Land Reform Programme will be in the name of the owner not the company, save for land owned by institutions such as churches, schools and hospitals;
· No multi-farm ownership of land;
· Any transfer of ownership to be subject to a certificate of approval by a Land Board/Land Commission and;
· The Land Board/Commission to assess the value of agricultural land for Capital Gains Tax purposes where transfer is sought.
Although negotiators agreed on these issues, there was no agreement on the compensation of white farmers dispossessed during land invasions. – Own Correspondent