In an exclusive interview with The Zimbabwean, Mutinhiri did not mince her words about her support for the fast track land redistribution programme launched by President Robert Mugabe in 2000.
The programme, which Mugabe and his party claimed was meant to empower thousands of land-hungry Zimbabweans, forced close to 5,000 commercial white farmers and hundreds of thousands of workers off their land without compensation, attracting local and international condemnation for flagrant violation of property and human rights.
Mutinhiri, who was expelled from Zanu (PF) last year on allegations of siding with MDC-T, where she is now a national organizing advisor, described the violent takeover “history repeating itself”.
“When the whites invaded Zimbabwe, no-one talked about property or human rights. They forcibly took over our land. So, when blacks decided that enough was enough and reclaimed their farmland from the whites, it was a case of justice taking its own course,” she said.
“It is no use arguing against it on the basis that it was violent. How many people did (Ian) Smith kill during the liberation struggle? There comes a time when you have to adopt extreme measures to bring justice back,” she added.
She said the takeover of farms was precipitated by the failure of the willing buyer-willing seller model of land transfer that was adopted from independence to 1999, accusing whites of frustrating smooth farmland redistribution.
Mutinhiri still owns the farm she grabbed from Douglas Cartwright in the early days of land “reform”, insisting that she acquired it legally. Before her expulsion, Zanu (PF) unsuccessfully tried to take the farm away from her.
“I am still on the farm and have no regrets about it. I acquired it legally, when I applied to the government and was given an offer letter. Everything was above board because I was given the farm in accordance with the law of the land,” she said.
She said that even though MDC-T supported land reform, there was need for the party to accept that the programme begun in 2000 was meant to address historical imbalances.
Under the Global Political Agreement land reform is recognised as irreversible. But Douglas Mwonzora, the MDC-T national spokesperson, said: “Our position in MDC has not changed. The invasion of farms during the land reform programme was done through illegal means and there is no way we will embrace lawlessness.”
He said no member of MDC-T owned a farm taken under the land “reform” programme, adding: “Mutinhiri got it when she was in Zanu (PF) and it is up to her how to deal with the issue of that farm”.
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I think she should be supported for her cause.
Is Mutinhiri growing food on the land – land reform is fine provided it’s not just for views and sundowners.
Under the Global Political Agreement land reform is recognised as irreversible. But Douglas Mwonzora, the MDC-T national spokesperson, said: “Our position in MDC has not changed. The invasion of farms during the land reform programme was done through illegal means and there is no way we will embrace lawlessness.â€
Yaaaah it is one thing to condemn something but another to do something about it! All the nation has ever got from MDC is talk, talk, talk but no action!