If, as claimed in the book, agricultural production is returning to former levels, the Vigil warmly welcomes it. But this assertion does not square with the statement by the UN that 1.6 million Zimbabweans are facing starvation – some 12% of the population – and for yet another year Zimbabwe needs international food aid.
We leave it to experts to assess the reliability of the book’s agriculture assertions and criticism of sanctions but notice that production last year of maize, Zimbabwe’s main food, was put by Index Mundi at 965,000 mt – less than half the 2000 maize crop of 2,148,000 mt.
We would also point out that, 13 years since the land invasions began, Zimbabwe has sunk to being the third smallest economy in the 15-member Southern African Development Community (SADC), bigger only than little Lesotho and Swaziland. Finance Minister Tendai Biti said this month that the average annual income was $370, with 85 % of the population existing under the poverty datum line.
Whether or not the agricultural situation is improving, and it could hardly fail to, the land seizures were illegal under international law and the SADC treaty. This has fatally undermined agriculture sector finance, especially since Zimbabwe has yet to meet its legal obligations to pay compensation.
The main victims of Mugabe’s land seizures were 150 – 200,000 black farm workers dispossessed of their homes and livelihoods. We invite the authors of the book to meet the Zimbabwe diaspora in London to discuss their findings.
The blurb on the back of the book talks about ‘scholarly rigor’. Here’s a bit of scholarly rigor from page 26: After talking about African corruption it goes on to say ‘Greed is not just an African problem. After leaving office as Britain’s Prime Minister, Tony Blair received millions of pounds in just two years, and he used tax avoidance methods introduced when he was Prime Minister.’ Are the scholars responsible for this book suggesting that Mr Blair is corrupt?
Post published in: News
It is clear that you have never understood the issue of Land in Zimbabwe. Of course it is your right to have this antagonistic view on this fundamental and important matter to all Zimbabweans. Your confrontational position in this regard is unfortunate and regrettable. Some in the Rhodesian Front belatedly realised the folly of their resistance of the Zimbabwean demands of land freedom and justice.
Are your repeating history?
Unfortunately it is not those who are wrong who suffer but the whole nation. There are more than six books written by different people concluding on the success of Land Reform and the potential for even more success if sanctions were removed. Are these works all mistaken?
If you want to see any changes in this area, come up with serious proposals that address the aspirations of the people.
You should also be repulsed by the means that the whites chose to get this land in the first place. If you are not, this kind of hypocrisy is what will keep you apart forever from the rest of Zimbabweans.
There have been wrongs done and unfortunately these have not only been towards whites. The sooner you recognise this, the sooner a solution can be found for the next generation. Most of the people who were displaced during the land acquisition by Whites are still alive. When they were moved to go to the “Linesâ€, they lost property including houses. This might still not mean much to you but it does to majority of Zimbabweans. You ignore this point at your own peril.
Your tone comes across as very arrogant and not even prepared to look at our challenges with honesty. Because you have mighty friends it does not make you right on this point. You might win court cases and get all this publicity but it does not improve your favour from the majority of Zimbabweans.
In Shona we say “chakanaka chakanaka, mukaka haurungwe” the English translation of this might not make much sense. It basically means the truth is truth.
Continuing to muddy the Land reform and not appreciate the noble idea behind it is very sad. You cannot hold ransom the whole of Zimbabwe just for you to get your way. You have very influential friends, it is a shame that you have chosen to use this to settle scores with Robert Mugabe and not to help Zimbabwe develop and a place for you to live and the next generation.
It’s a pity that the legacy that you are leaving the next generation is your blind opposition to the empowerment of Zimbabweans and ownership of their Land.