Mugabe cronies first to receive 99-year leases
By Tererai Karimakwenda
10 November 2006

A high court judge, a journalist with the state media, retired army officials and resettled black farmers were among the 125 individuals who received the first batch of 99-year land leases at a ceremony presided over by Robert Mugabe on Thursday. A few white farmers seen to be sympathetic to the ruling party were also beneficiaries. No surprises there. Days before the ceremony, government critics and opposition officials had predicted that only Mugabe’s cronies would receive security of tenure under this new scheme.

Also at the ceremony were officials from the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU), which has taken a different approach and has been willing to cooperate with government. Public relations official Emily Cookes told us the event was more subdued than they expected and was viewed as the culmination of the land reform programme by government officials there.

Many white farmers who belong to the CFU have applied for the so-called A2 status which leads to offer letters from government that qualify the recipient for these 99 year leases. Asked how many CFU members were handed leases by Mugabe on Thursday, Cookes said only 1 or 2. She said the CFU had not seen the full list of lease recipients and she was therefore reluctant to comment on whether beneficiaries had been chosen on political grounds.

The CFU asked for a full list Friday morning but were not assured they would receive one. Cookes said she only hoped a full audit had been done to determine whether the chosen farmers had been on their land for the required 3 years and had been productive.

John Worsley Worswick of Justice For Agriculture (JAG), which represents evicted farmers, told us days before the ceremony that he believed the new leases were government’s attempt to attract investors who were staying away due to the ongoing illegal farm evictions and the lawlessness which exists on commercial farms. He also said he expected top chefs and supporters from the ruling party to benefit.

At the ceremony Mugabe said security of tenure should help the farmers secure bank loans and boost production and pledged to increase government subsidies for serious farmers. But ever since land reform began, resettled farmers have had no seeds or fertiliser and production on the farms has decreased by more than 50%. Government subsidies were promised years ago to help the farmers yet nothing has materialised. The result has been severe shortages of food and foreign currency.