The Herald

25 years ago

HARARE, 20 March 1992. — The Member of Parliament for Zhombe, Cde Peter Hewlett, has called on the Government to first use the farms it has so far acquired for resettlement of people, before it buys any more. Speaking to reporters here yesterday, Cde Hewlett, who has himself sold five of his seven farms around Kwekwe to the Government, said people have a right to the land. “The war of liberation was fought for the majority of the people of Zimbabwe to get back their land and the Government should give it to them,” he said. However, the Government should take it bit by bit and see what can be managed at a time. The farms should be fully utilised and made very productive,” he said. People resettled on the farms should do even better than the previous owners, for good results. Cde Hewlett cited examples of farms that had already bought and then leased back to the previous owners because the Government was not yet ready to use them.