Zimbabwe to Return Land to Previously Evicted White Farmers
Amid the ongoing crisis in Zimbabwe, the government will reportedly return land which was seized under the Mugabe era to white farmers both in the country and those abroad.
In a statement released by the Zimbabwean government, they communicate that, "Where the situation presently obtaining on the ground makes it impractical to restore land in this category to its former owners, government will offer the former farm owners alternative land elsewhere as restitution where such land is available." However, given the complexities of this initiative, the government adds that they will "revoke the offer letters of resettled (Black) farmers currently occupying those pieces of land and offer them alternative land elsewhere."
The news of the compensation agreement comes amid an ongoing socio-political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe. There have been ongoing protests in the country both on the ground and online under the banner of Zimbabwean Lives Matter. Prominent journalist Hopewell Chin'ono, opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume and veteran author Tsitsi Dangarembga have been among those imprisoned by authorities in the wake of these protests.
READ: SADC Meeting Leaves Zimbabwe Crisis Off African Union Summit Agenda
While the South African government recently sent a special envoy to facilitate discussions with President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his cabinet, the outcome of those discussions are still unclear. Mnangagwa maintains that "there is no crisis" in the Southern African country.
