These details are contained in a report by ZimOnline, after a three month investigation into the corrupt land grab scheme, which Mugabe has always insisted was for the benefit of the nation. The ZimOnline report shows that, contrary to Mugabes claims, a new well-connected black elite of about
2, 200 people now control close to half of the most profitable land seized from about 4 100 commercial farmers. The report said that Mugabe and his top allies control nearly 40 percent of the 14 million hectares of land seized from white-owned farms since the land grab began in 2000, which if put together are the size of Slovakia.
Investigations by ZimOnline show that while at least 150,000 ordinary people may have had access to farms seized for redistribution, the majority own only between 10 to 50 hectares of property each. ZimOnline said in its report that these ordinary people only accessed land on the strengths of their ZANU PF party membership cards.
In contrast, 2,200 well connected people, including Mugabe, his wife Grace, their top allies, friends and relatives, have shared out the choice farms amongst themselves. The properties span 250 hectares to as much as 4,000 hectares in the most fertile farming regions in the country, in clear violation of the governments own policy of capping farm sizes. All of ZANU PFs 56 politburo members, 98 Members of Parliament and 35 elected and unelected Senators were allocated former white owned farms, all 10 provincial governors have seized farms, with four being multiple owners, while 65 percent of the countrys more than 200 traditional chiefs have also benefited from the land grab.
Mugabe and his wife Grace, are the chief multiple farm owners, with 14 farms in total that measure over 16,000 hectares. Mugabes deputy, Joyce Mujuru, along with her husband former army general Solomon Mujuru, and their relatives, own at least 25 farms with a combined size of more than 105 000 hectares. Another of Mugabes deputies, John Nkomo, is also a multiple farm owner and controls the lucrative Jijima wildlife sanctuary in north-west Zimbabwe, after he muscled out a fellow black farmer.
This exercise has nothing to do with land reform because it is clear that land has been transferred to high profile people and not the landless, said John Worsley-Worswick from Justice for Agriculture (JAG).
Worsley-Worswick told SW Radio Africa on Tuesday that the land grab has been nothing more than an insidious political programme that has allowed and legitimised looting. He added that the land beneficiaries are the illegal recipients of stolen land.
The ZimOnline report also showed how the select farm ownership scheme has been carried out without complete impunity. There has been no action taken against the multiple farm owners, despite three previous government land audits which fingered top ZANU PF officials and recommended that they return the farms.
Investigations show that, for example Edna Madzongwe, Senate Speaker and a Mugabe relative, has since 2000 seized six productive commercial farms in Chegutu district, Mashonaland West province, farms which she has all but run down, ZimOnline said.
These are Aitape, Cobun Estates, Bourne, Mpofu Farm, Reyden and Stockdale Farm, which she seized from an elderly white couple last year. The farms, which span 5,200 hectares in total, are all in Chegutu, which has been devastated by farm attacks over the past ten years.
The report also details how the corruption filters down to smaller scale ZANU PF loyalists, whose acquired wealth has been the result of theft. A government audit carried out in 2002 showed that former Mashonaland West provincial governor Peter Chanetsa at one point had five farms spanning 4,000 hectares, while former Mines Minister and legislator Chindori Chininga, Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo and former Information Minister Jonathan Moyo own or have owned multiple farms at some point.
The land takeovers have for years been singled out at as Mugabes method of paying back those who have kept him in power and even top security officials have been rewarded. ZimOnline said that, of the nearly 200 officers from the rank of Major to the Lieutenant General in the Zimbabwe National Army, 90 percent have farms in the most fertile parts of the country. This is replicated in the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe Prisons Service, Air Force of Zimbabwe and CIO.
In total there are 400 officers in the security services alone who are known to have farms above 250 hectares, often seized at gun point from the previous white owners while several lower ranking officers and war veterans also have smaller holdings, ZimOnline said.
Constantine Chiwenga, the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander, has two farms near Harare, including the 1,200 hectare Chakoma Estates. Air Marshall Perence Shiri meanwhile has two farms, the 1,460 hectare Eirin farm in Marondera, which he seized after evicting 96 landless families, and the 1,950 hectare banana producing Bamboo Creek in Shamva. Augustine Chihuri, Mugabes loyal Police Commissioner General owns Woodlands Farm in Shamva.
At the same time, Mugabe has ensured that the law remains on his side. Sixteen Supreme Court and High Court Judges, including Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku, who owns the 1 000 hectare Estes Park farm in Mazowe/Concession district, also own large farms ranging between 540 to 1380 hectares. It was Chidyausiku who last week dismissed an application for a moratorium on ongoing farm invasions, essentially giving the illegal seizures the green light.
JAGs Worsley-Worswick said that an independent land audit is necessary to start rectifying the chaos of the past ten years, but explained this is not just about land anymore.
This goes way beyond just the value of farms lost, Worsley-Worswick said. There have been serious human rights violations, great losses of assets and equipment and all this needs to be part of a larger audit of the situation.
Post published in: News