Uncertainty shrouds Zim farm leases

ZIMBABWE’s remaining white commercial farmers are unsure whether the government’s announcement that it will offer them 99-year leases will change their circumstances.

They do not know whether the leases will be “bankable” and restore land values.

More than 7 million hectares of land taken from white farmers since 2000 is stateowned since the constitution was changed in 2005.

No farmland has been bought or sold in Zimbabwe since 2000 and no “new” farmers can borrow from banks to finance their crops.

Some farmers say a 99-year lease may provide security from further invasions, but ask whether it will provide security of tenure if they wish to raise loans against land they occupy, which they originally bought.

At a meeting of some white farmers and government land officials this week, discussions centred on formalities and documentation needed to secure the long leases.

For one farmer the best part of the new, long leases was that he and others – still on the land – would no longer be referred to as “white” farmers, but would be seen as part of the community of all Zimbabwe’s farmers.

“We are fully recognised as Zimbabwe farmers by President (Emmerson) Mnangagwa. The fact that there are formal lines of communication is significant and we are expected to fully participate and integrate with our district, provincial and national communities, invest, create employment and prosper.”

The post- 2000 invasions – many of them violent – of more then 4000 white-owned farms collapsed the economy and saw Zimbabwe isolated from international loans.

Mnangagwa, who came to power after a soft coup d’état last November, said he wanted an end to invasions on land occupied by white farmers.

Remaining white farmers have small patches of the land they had before invasions.

A government letter sent to “Resettlement Offices” in Zimbabwe’s eight agricultural provinces said: “Please be informed that the minister of lands, agri- culture and rural resettlement has directed that all remaining white farmers be issued 99-year leases…”

The once powerful Commercial Farmers’ Union in Harare estimates there were between 200 and 300 white farmers left.

Most evicted farmers have had audited claims lodged with a professional valuation company to be used when, they hope, negotiations for compensation begin. The total claim is about $9bn (R107.8bn).

The union’s president, Peter Steyl, said the new leases were welcome and part of what Mnangagwa had said he would do when he was sworn into power on November 24.

“This is a real step forward. We were hoping for this… but there is a lot that needs fixing. Many dams are silted up and we will help wherever we can.

Steyl, who was evicted from his farm, hoped long- term leases would end ongoing invasions.

Most land owned by white farmers as well as homes and equipment was handed to senior Zanu-PF politicians and party supporters. Some estimate that about 2 million people may now be living on land taken in the post-2000 landgrab.

Trevor Gifford, a former president of the union who lives in Tanzania and grows avocados, said : “Those of us who lost our livelihoods and homes hope this government will find ways of paying us compensation.”

Economist John Robertson said: “The leases will be worthless unless they provide security of tenure.” – Independent Foreign Service

‘The (99-year) leases will be worthless

unless they provide security of tenure’