Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader, Nelson Chamisa, has reassured resettled farmers that his party would not take land from them. Instead, if he wins the August 23 election, he plans to give them title deeds. The announcement comes amidst allegations that the party intends to take back land and give it to former white farmers.
Speaking during the CCC’s 2023 campaign launch in Gweru on Sunday, Chamisa emphasised that those who were removed from their farms must be given back their land. He refuted claims that the party intends to take land from resettled farmers, saying that they plan to give title deeds to the farmers instead of the ZANU PF party cards they were given.
Chamisa stressed that resettled farmers should not be removed from their land and should have rights, unlike the situation in Chilonga, Dinde, and Mutoko where resources, including land, are being given to outsiders. He said:
Hatisi kuuya kuzopatsanura nyika. Vamwe vanoti akauya vakagara kuminda muri kutorerwa minda, Kwete! musanyeberwa. Mukomana paanopinda ari kuuya kuzokupa Title Deed kuti pawakagara pasava neTile deed yeCard remusangano. Unofanira kuti pawakagara usabviswa, pawakagara unofanira kuva nekodzero kwete zviri kuitwa kunana Chilonga, kwete zviri kuitwa kunana Dinde, kwete zviri kuitwa kwaMutoko kuti resource yamakapiwa naMwari inotorwa nevekunze imi hamuna chamunowana… We want to correct that. Resources for everyone, land for everyone. Vanhu vawane maOpportunity neDignity munyika mavo… Nyaya yeLand is an important point. Wese akabviswa paLand anofanira kudzorerwa, totangira ipapo.
translation:
[Our intention is not to divide the nation. There have been claims that I will seize land from resettled farmers if elected, but this is an unfounded allegation. The Youngman will give title deeds to those who were previously issued with ZANU PF party membership cards. It is imperative that individuals are not evicted from their land and that their rights are protected, especially in light of recent events in Chilonga, Dinde, and Mutoko where resources, including land, have been granted to non-residents. Our objective is to address this issue by ensuring that resources, including land, are accessible to all citizens. We aim to provide every individual with equal opportunities and dignity within their country. The issue of land is of great importance, and we believe that the reinstatement of those who were previously displaced from their land is the first step towards achieving this goal.]
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Last year, the High Court granted President Emmerson Mnangagwa the authority to relocate approximately 12,000 villagers in the Chilonga region to facilitate the establishment of a lucerne project by Dendairy, a Zimbabwean dairy firm. Livison Chikutu, a village head under Chief Chilonga, was taken into custody for inciting violence at the chief’s residence in April of last year after instigating villagers to demonstrate against the eviction. He was subsequently acquitted by a Chiredzi magistrate. During a visit by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga in 2020, the villagers even staged a protest. Shangaan locals have vowed to resist any form of government intimidation or interference and remain steadfast in their decision not to relocate from their ancestral lands.
The land issue in Zimbabwe
Land has been a significant issue in Zimbabwean politics for many years. The country’s colonial history saw most of the productive land taken away from black people and given to white settlers. This led to a long-standing struggle for land ownership and redistribution, which became a central issue in Zimbabwe‘s fight for independence.
After independence, the government implemented a land reform policy to address the imbalance, but it failed. In 2000, the fast-track land reform program was implemented, which forcibly evicted white farmers and redistributed land to black Zimbabweans. The program has been controversial, with critics arguing that it was implemented without due process and resulted in economic instability. Supporters argue that it was necessary to address historical injustices and promote economic empowerment.
The issue of land ownership and redistribution remains a key issue in Zimbabwean politics, with different political parties using it to gain support among different constituencies.