White commercial farmers in Zimbabwe who lost their land under the country’s land reform programme said that the government has failed to pay part of the $331 million in compensation while reimbursing others who were not part of the agreement.
In a joint letter addressed to the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment Promotion, dated December 10, 2024, the Commercial Farmers Union and the Southern African Commercial Alliance called for urgent discussions with the government.
The unions said that many of their members are now destitute and have lost their dignity due to the failure to receive compensation through the so-called Global Compensation Deal.
Under an agreement signed in 2020, the government committed to compensating approximately 4,000 White farmers whose land was seized by state-backed militants.
However, it has consistently failed to meet payment deadlines, with the total expected cost of the deal reaching US$3.5 billion over 10 years.
The ZANU PF-led government has defended the land seizures as a means to rectify colonial imbalances, despite reports that some beneficiaries are collecting rent from legitimate farmers who are working the land.
In the letter seen by <a href="https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/company-news/2024/12/17/zimbabwe-fails-to-pay-white-farmers-who-had-land-expropriated/">Bloomberg</a> and confirmed by the Ministry of Finance, the unions wrote:
<blockquote>
The current approach risks eroding trust and undermining the structured dialogue platform’s objectives.
We urge your ministry to prioritize dialogue with the GCD signatories to develop a cohesive, homegrown solution that balances compensation with agricultural recovery.
</blockquote>
So far, 1,300 White former commercial farmers have registered to receive compensation, according to official data.
For the fiscal year that ended on March 31, Zimbabwe allocated $35 million in its budget to initiate these payments. For the current fiscal year, the government has earmarked an additional $10 million.
The African Development Bank reports that at least 439 former landowners have been identified as beneficiaries of the financial settlement totalling $331 million.
Andrew Bvumbe, the head of debt management in the finance ministry, said that the government will continue to make payments to farmers who seek compensation.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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White farmers in Zimbabwe who lost their land are not getting the compensation they were promised by the government. The farmers are very upset and want to talk to the government about it. The government said it would pay the farmers to make things right, but it keeps missing deadlines. The government thinks taking the land was a good idea to make things fair, but now it's causing problems for the farmers. Only some of the farmers have gotten compensation so far, and the government is trying to make more payments. The farmers just want the government to keep its promise and pay them.

Zimbabwean Government Fails To Pay Agreed Compensation To White Farmers

The Zimbabwean government will pay an initial US$20 million this month to foreign white and local Black farmers who lost land due to farm invasions under former leader Robert Mugabe, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube said on Friday, reported <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/zimbabwe-compensates-foreign-local-farmers-over-land-invasions-2024-10-04/">Reuters</a>.
This payment is part of the 2024 budget and aims to restore the country’s agricultural sector and support economic revival.
The collapse of agriculture began when Mugabe initiated the seizure of productive farms in 2000, impacting many white commercial farmers and some Black Zimbabweans.
Most of the farms were owned by Zimbabwean white commercial farmers after colonialists forcibly took them from Blacks early in the 20th century.
The compensation will include foreign farmers from Belgium, Germany, and other countries, as well as 400 Black Zimbabweans.
A separate much larger $3.5 billion compensation scheme for 4,000 white Zimbabwean farmers was announced in 2020, but funds have not been released due to Zimbabwe’s financial struggles.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa is working to engage Western governments to restore relations, resolve foreign debt, and revive the economy, though last year’s elections raised concerns about donor confidence.
Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube indicated that the dialogue process is ongoing and essential for clearing Zimbabwe’s debt arrears. He said:
<blockquote>
The dialogue process is working and will help us in clearing our arrears eventually.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe is seeking an International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff-monitored program as a first step towards debt relief, with an IMF team scheduled to visit Harare in the next two weeks.
Zimbabwe’s total foreign debt stands at $12 billion, owed to various international financial institutions and private funders.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

The government of Zimbabwe will pay $20 million to farmers who lost land because of Robert Mugabe. This money is to help the agricultural sector and the economy. The farm seizures by Mugabe in 2000 affected white and Black farmers. The compensation includes foreign farmers and Black Zimbabweans. President Mnangagwa is working to improve international relations. Zimbabwe is trying to clear its $12 billion debt with help from the IMF. The dialogue process is ongoing to help with clearing the debt. This is good news for farmers who lost their land.

Government To Pay US$20 Million To Farmers Affected By Land Seizures

White farmers who lost their land during Zimbabwe’s chaotic land redistribution exercise have made some changes to the government’s proposal of paying the US$3.5 billion compensation through a 10-year commercial paper.
The former farmers rejected the proposal and have made some changes to suit the age profile of the supposed beneficiaries.
Speaking to <a href="https://businesstimes.co.zw/ex-farmers-turn-heat-on-govt/">Business Times</a> on Wednesday, Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) president Andrew Pascoe said they are currently engaging members to get their views on the Government proposal. Said Pascoe:
<blockquote>
We made some new changes to the government’s proposed deal and currently, we are carrying out surveys with our members to see if they agree to the new proposals.
</blockquote>
In 2020, the Government pledged to compensate the former farm owners in phases.
The first installment of US$1.75 billion was supposed to be paid in 2021 and the balance was to be paid in four equal installments of US$437.5 million per year.
The Government failed to fulfill the promise to the formers farmers and has shifted goalposts on several occasions.
Moreover, critics argue that the compensation does not go far enough to address the harm caused by the land reform programme.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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