Charge de Affairs at the Kuala Lumpurs embassy in Harare, Mohamad Nizan Mohamad, told journalists in Harare that Vice President John Nkomo promised to take the matter to President Robert Mugabe a friend of former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. The issue of our existing investments and how they have been affected was raised and the response was positive and encouraging, Mohamad said after meeting Nkomo yesterday. We were assured by the Vice President that our matter would be taken to the President.
Retired major general Edzai Chimonyo last January seized the banana farm in Burma Valley in the eastern Manicaland province, claiming he was allocated the property in 2006 under Mugabes controversial land reform programme. The banana farm is owned by Matanuska, a farming organisation owned by Malaysian investors and is protected under a bilateral investment promotion and protection agreement (BIPPA) between Harare and Kuala Lumpur.
The Malaysians also own several other agro-business projects in Manicaland and Mashonaland Central provinces that has some of Zimbabwes best agricultural land. Mugabes chaotic and often violent programme to seize white-owned farm land for redistribution to landless blacks also saw several farms owned by foreigners and protected under bilateral trade agreements between Zimbabwe and other countries seized without compensation. The seizure of private land has raised questions about Zimbabwes commitment to uphold property rights as well as agreements entered with other countries.
But the veteran Zimbabwean leader, who has in the past backed seizure of white-owned land including farms protected under bilateral agreements, will be caught in tight in spot over the Malaysianowned farm given his perceived close ties to the Kuala Lumpur establishment.
Post published in: News