900 White Former Farmers Register For Compensation
The Commercial Farmers Union revealed that about 900 white former commercial farmers have registered for compensation for improvements done on their farms before they were seized by the government.
The Zimbabwean government embarked on compulsory land acquisition at the turn of the millennium resulting in the majority of white farmers losing their farms.
The government, through the Ministry of Finance, has set aside $53 million dollars for the exercise, a figure that is far too low compared to the white farmers’ estimated US$10 billion.
CFU director, Ben Gilpin on Thursday revealed that the applicants will be notified of the payment modalities by the 10th of May. Said, Gilpin:
We have about 900 farmers who have responded to the call and registered.
We are now verifying with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement.
Those people will be notified of the final outcome around the 10th of May and working with the Ministry, payment modalities will be known.
The Constitution of Zimbabwe provides for compensation to indigenous Zimbabweans whose agricultural land is acquired by the State.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently affirmed the government ‘s position that the land reform is irreversible.
