Simba Chikore and his former wife, Bona Mugabe, own a total of 21 farms, which they acquired through various means such as donations, inheritance, or sole or joint ownership.
Simba disclosed this information in court papers where he is requesting an equal share of the properties acquired or given to him and Bona during their marriage. These are:
- Rosam farm of 104.2335ha.
- Smithfield Farm of 3280.5898ha.
- Gushungo Estate/remainder of Foyle 1200ha.
- Iron Mask farm 207,8205ha.
- Cressy Dale 945,037ha.
- Cressy Dale Lot Two 184,534ha.
- Tankantara 659,98ha.
- John O’Groats 669,5ha.
- Lot 1 Swan dale 155,482ha.
- Lot 2 Swan dale 101,84ha.
- Swandale 106,361ha.
- Clifford 1426ha
- Vusumuzi Banket farm 3182ha
- Teviotdale Kaseplan farm 310,6189ha.
- Remainder of Teviotdale 186,46ha.
- Buckland Estate 280ha.
- Yarrow Dale Farm 2516,3358ha.
- Lemon Pool 102,5766ha.
- Lot B of Greater B 404,6744ha.
- Benissa Farming Company 1248,8033ha.
- Surtic 6385,3470ha.
Zimbabwe’s “one-man one-farm” policy
The “one-man one-farm” policy in Zimbabwe is a land reform program that seeks to ensure that each farmer owns only one farm to address the issue of land ownership inequality. The policy was implemented in response to the concentration of land ownership in the hands of a few individuals, mostly white commercial farmers, during colonial and post-independence periods. Under this policy, the government has been redistributing land from those with multiple farms to landless peasants and small-scale farmers, with the aim of promoting equitable distribution of land resources.
There have been reports of violations of the “one-man one-farm” policy, particularly during the tenure of former President Robert Mugabe. Some individuals, including members of Mugabe’s inner circle, were found to have acquired multiple farms, while others were evicted from their land without due process. These actions were criticised for undermining the goal of the land reform program to promote equitable distribution of land resources and redress past injustices. The current government has also been accused of selectively enforcing the policy and allowing some individuals to hold multiple farms.
Effects of multiple-farm ownership
Reports indicate that some farms acquired during Zimbabwe’s land reform program remain underutilised due to a lack of resources and skills among beneficiaries. This has resulted in reduced agricultural productivity and food shortages despite Zimbabwe’s potential as a major agricultural producer.