(SUNDAY MAIL ZW) Govt probes land deals
Sunday, 01 December 2013 00:00
Sunday Mail Reporter
Government has ordered provincial land committees in Masvingo and Mashonaland West to investigate allegations that some land reform beneficiaries are subletting land to former white commercial farmers.
Lands and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora disclosed that his office is receiving disturbing reports that indicate that some land reform beneficiaries are covertly getting into partnerships with former commercial farmers. Dr Mombeshora noted the sub-letting of land is illegal.
“I have since advised the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs for Masvingo Province Cde Kudakwashe Bhasikiti to assist members of the provincial land committee in carrying out proper investigations into the underhand land deals that are said to be going on in Masvingo East district.
As a ministry we are disturbed and keen to ascertain the ownership status of the farms in the district hence Cde Bhasikiti and his team will carry investigations and present a report to us so that we can take appropriate action.
“The provincial lands committee comprises of members of the security sector, so it is possible that the police will assist in these investigations,” said Dr Mombeshora.
Since last year hundreds of landless villagers from Zaka, Bikita, Gutu and Chivi have been occupying farms in Masvingo East district, setting up makeshift structures arguing that the new black owners were proxies of former farmers. Police at one time moved in and destroyed the structures on the farms but the land-hungry villagers refused to move.
Dr Mombeshora added that there are also reports that leasing of land was also rampant in Mashonaland West province.
Commenting on a proposed land audit, Cde Mombeshora revealed that a funding request has since been presented to Treasury.
“We have submitted our presentation to Treasury and once our budget is approved we will then carry out the audit countrywide,” he said.
Labels: LAND AUDIT, LAND REFORM, LAND RIGHTS
Read more...
(HERALD ZW) Latest: Land audit on cards
October 10, 2013 Costa Mano Headlines, Top Stories
Herald Reporter
Land audit is on the cards to ascertain the number of beneficiaries of land reform and establish those that are productively using the land.
In an interview, Lands and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora said the audit would determine whether or not Government still needed to acquire more land for resettlement.
“We plan to do an audit to see how many farms have been distributed and how many have taken up what they were offered,” he said.
“The audit will also give us an insight if there is still need for us to acquire more land.”
Details to follow…
Labels: LAND AUDIT, LAND REFORM, LAND RIGHTS
Read more...
Ministry submits US$31m budget for land audit
By: TH.
Posted: Monday, September 20, 2010 8:29 pm
THE Ministry of Lands and Resettlement has submitted a US$31 million budget to the Ministry of Finance to fund the land audit, a Cabinet minister has said. The audit is meant to take an inventory of infrastructure at the farms in order to find ways of supporting newly resettled farmers where there is need.
In an interview recently, Lands and Rural Resettlement Minister Herbert Murerwa said the audit was expected to start once funds were made available.
“We have already made a proposal to the Ministry of Finance on the budget that we need for the audit. We need about US$31, 2 million for the exercise to be successful.
“Government has finally decided to set up a commission to conduct the audit and once we have those areas covered then the audit will be taking place but it will be very soon.
“The commission will have to be approved by the principals and we will get proposals from them as well.
“In the commission we expect to have knowledgeable people in areas of agriculture and experts in policy management because we want to run it professionally,” he said.
Minister Murerwa said the objective of the audit was to empower resettled farmers contrary to claims that it was a witch-hunt exercise.
“The objective of the audit is not a witch-hunt exercise. It is aimed at taking an inventory of land that has been taken up and to find ways of empowering the farmers. We will be making an assessment of the situation on the ground in terms of who is occupying what land.
“The main objective is to empower and enable farmers to produce. We will be checking at infrastructure available like irrigation facilities and other necessities to make sure that our farmers have everything they need to farm,” Dr Murerwa said.
According to the Global Political Agreement signed by the principals of the three parties in the inclusive Government, the audit should be conducted during the current Seventh Parliament.
Article 5 of the GPA says the parties hereby agree to “conduct a comprehensive, transparent and non-partisan land audit, during the tenure of the Seventh Parliament of Zimbabwe, for the purpose of establishing accountability and eliminating multiple farm ownerships.
“Ensure that all Zimbabweans who are eligible to be allocated land and who apply for it shall be considered for allocation of land irrespective of race, gender, religion, ethnicity or political affiliation.”
Labels: HERBERT MURERWA, LAND AUDIT, LAND REFORM, MDC
Read more...
Govt audits sugarcane plots
Masvingo Bureau
Government has embarked on a
comprehensive audit of sugarcane plots allocated to thousands of farmers under the land reform programme in Chiredzi. The State seeks to stem under-utilisation of land and familiarise itself with challenges facing the farmers.
Most resettled sugarcane farmers in Chiredzi, Triangle and Mkwasine in the Lowveld have been operating below capacity while others abandoned their plots altogether due to operational constraints.
Sugarcane farming is capital intensive and many resettled farmers have been grappling with shortages of funding and equipment.
Masvingo Governor and Resident Minister Titus Maluleke last Friday said: "We had to embark on the land audit to familiarise ourselves with the extent to which our new farmers are grappling with the challenges of sugarcane.
"It is also important to ensure there is no underutilisation of land allocated by Government because we want production.
"Quite a number of farms are being underutilised, so its either we repossess them for re-allocation or we assist the farmers."
He said Government was devising ways of capacitating the farmersd to consolidate the land reform programme.
The governor said they wanted struggling farmers to opt for contract farming or joint ventures with capital-rich individuals.
Cane farmers’ associations in the Lowveld have repeatedly exhorted Government to support them in the manner that tobacco and cotton are backed by various inputs facilities, equipment and training schemes.
Labels: LAND AUDIT, MDC, NEOCOLONIALISM, SUGAR CANE
Read more...
