Maravi

(NEWZIMBABWE) Final Draft of the Zimbabwean Constitution

This is basically a restatement of the obligations of the Zimbabwean government and the British government to pay compensation to the white rhodesians (not the African people), under the Lancaster House Agreement. The Zimbabwean government pays for compensation of improvements made to the land, the British government pays the white rhodesians for the value of the land. Which is what they have been reneging on since Clare Short's letter to minister Kumbirai Kangai, in November 1997.

72 Rights to agricultural land

(7) In regard to the compulsory acquisition of agricultural land for the resettlement of people in accordance with a programme of land reform, the following factors must be regarded as of ultimate and overriding importance—

(a) under colonial domination the people of Zimbabwe were unjustifiably dispossessed of their land and other resources without compensation;

(b) the people consequently took up arms in order to regain their land and political sovereignty, and this ultimately resulted in the Independence of Zimbabwe in 1980;

(c) the people of Zimbabwe must be enabled to re-assert their rights and regain ownership of their land;

and accordingly—

(i) the former colonial power has an obligation to pay compensation for agricultural land compulsorily acquired for resettlement, through an adequate fund established for the purpose; and

(ii) if the former colonial power fails to pay compensation through such a fund, the Government of Zimbabwe has no obligation to pay compensation for agricultural land compulsorily acquired for resettlement.

(8) This section applies without prejudice to the obligation of the former colonial power to pay compensation for land referred to in this section that has been acquired for resettlement purposes.

Labels: CONSTITUTION, COPAC

posted by MrK @ 3:43 PM