In a major policy shift on land, the Zimbabwe government says it will forthwith issue title deeds to “indigenous people” who got farms under the controversial land reform programme, which started in 2000 and persists, to ensure security of tenure and boost production.
The initiative is also designed to create a new and more dynamic land market, although racialising the issue and barring foreign capital may limit its liquidity and cripple it.
It says the title deeds will make the farms “bankable, registrable and transferable”, but such land can only be sold among “indigenous people” – which suggests black Zimbabweans.
When government wants to excluded other races from its policies and programmes, it often uses such ambiguous language and obfuscation.
As a result, 99-year leases, offer letters and permits must no longer be issued and be replaced with the new “secure document of tenure”.
Government moves suggest it is trying to create a new regime of security of tenure and land market, hoping to galvanise a more dynamic and productive agricultural system to replace the failed command order.
This comes after the seizure of land and chaotic distribution of farms which left the economy shattered and the country struggling with food insecurity.
Authorities also admitted that subsidising local farmers has failed as they do not repay loans, inputs and equipment worth multi-millions of dollars, hence unsustainable, especially in a cash-strapped government.
Government also condemned land barons who are wreaking havoc in urban areas, buying and selling land for huge profits, sometimes illegally.
However, communal land under traditional chiefs in rural areas will not be affected by the new policy.
Announcing the new measures after the usual Tuesday cabinet meeting yesterday, Information minister Jenfan Muswere said:
“All land held by beneficiaries of the Land Reform Programme under 99-year leases, offer letters and permits, will now be held under a bankable, registrable and transferrable more secure document of tenure, to be issued by the Government of Zimbabwe to beneficiaries.
As such, beneficiaries of the Land Reform Programme will now have enhanced security of tenure to the land they legitimately hold. This new policy will invariably be informed by the following guidelines:
a. Priority will be given to our Veterans of the Liberation Struggle, youths and women;
b. Security of tenure to all agricultural land regularised under this programme, will at all time only be transferrable among indigenous Zimbabweans;
and the land targeted for the new land tenure system will exclude communal land that is under the jurisdiction of traditional chiefs.”
