Zimbabwe has announced plans to give back land
controversially taken over under its controversial fast track land reform
programme, which started in 2000.
The
programme, which was criticised for being both chaotic and violent, resulted in
numerous deaths in the course of land seizures.
On
Friday, the Zimbabwean government gazetted new legislation under which former
landowners may opt for repossession or monetary compensation. The new
regulations will apply to indigenous farmers whose farms were appropriated, as
well as to those whose land was protected by bilateral treaties.
Several
countries, among them South Africa, Austria, France, Germany, Mauritius,
Holland, Sweden and Malaysia, had signed investment protection agreements with
Zimbabwe at the time.
Of
those covered by bilateral treaties, South Africans were the worst affected,
according to the Commercial Farmers Union in Zimbabwe, as over 200 farmers lost
their land.
However,
the new legislation does not automatically grant compensation. Any application
may be rejected "on the basis that granting it would be contrary to the
interests of defence, public safety, public order, public morality, public
health, regional or town planning or the general public interest",
according to the gazetted regulations.
The
South African Embassy in Zimbabwe welcomed government's decision to return land
under Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreements (BIPPAs) and
Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) to its former owners.
"We
welcome the development, as we believe there is enough land waiting to be
used," a spokesperson from the South African Embassy, speaking on behalf
of ambassador Mphakama Mbete, said by phone from Harare.
"We
think the position is in line with the mantra 'Zimbabwe is open for
business'."
He
said commercial agriculture would grow "exponentially" now that land
is being availed again to those with expertise and the required capital.
"While
we don’t have the numbers, in terms of those likely to benefit, we have spoken
to a number of South African farmers who already have their own funding to
start agriculture activity in Zimbabwe, so this decision is welcome," he
said.
Despite
droughts that have befallen the southern African country several times since
year 2000, land reform has been blamed for Zimbabwe’s failure to feed itself,
with the country resorting to imports and international help.
The
United Nations World Food Programme plans to double the number of Zimbabweans
that it assists, up to 4.1 million, and will require over $200 million to meet
needs in the first half of 2020 alone.
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