ZIMBABWE
One Hand Taketh…
Zimbabwe will allow foreign white farmers settled in the country to reclaim land seized by former President Robert Mugabe, a move aimed at resolving one of the most divisive policies of the late leader, Reuters reported Tuesday.
Officials said these farmers can apply to get their land back, arguing that in some instances, the government would “revoke the offer letters of resettled (Black) farmers currently occupying those pieces of land and offer them alternative land elsewhere.”
It added that in cases where restoring land to the former owners was not possible or impractical, the farmers would be offered land elsewhere.
Last month, the government agreed to pay $3.5 billion in compensation to local white farmers whose lands were confiscated by Mugabe to resettle Black families.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa said that Mugabe’s land reform could not be reversed but compensation would improve relations with the West.
Supporters of Mugabe’s reform say that it has empowered Black people but opponents claim that it was a partisan process that left the country impoverished while scaring away badly needed foreign investment.
No comments:
Post a Comment