Upsurge in Farm Invasions in Zimbabwe

Farm Invasions in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean Farmers’ rights group Justice for Agriculture (JAG) has said it has evidence of a dramatic upsurge in farm invasions since the formation of Zimbabwe’s unity government in February. The group said it has received reports from 22 landowners between 25 February and 7 April about 30 incidents ranging from harassment to forced eviction. According to the group, these incidents were in addition to attacks before and after the unity government was formed on 11 February. The group said that in one case, nine properties were gazetted for resettlement less than a week before Tsvangirai was sworn in as prime minister of Zimbabwe.

It is reported that latest attacks come as Zimbabwe appeals to the international community for US,5 billion in reconstruction aid. The MDC’s finance minister Tendai Biti has warned that the latest invasions were keeping potential investors away. “We are very unhappy with the situation on the farms,” he told a German wire agency. The farmers group also reported senior Zanu-PF politicians, army officers and members of the judiciary, lands officers, police top brass and former senators as perpetrators in several latest cases, including senate leader Edna Madzongwe, Brigadier-General Itayi Mujaji and Harare East MP Justice Zvandasara. Major hotspots were Chigutu, Manicaland, and Chiredzi.

The fragile unity government has pledged to introduce economic reforms and restore the rule of law. Several important reforms have already been implemented, including abolishing price controls for farm produce, allowing businesses to trade in any foreign currency, which has resulted in consumer goods becoming freely available again, and reducing the power of the reserve bank to raise funds. It seems crackdowns on political gatherings have also ceased, reports of harassment by secret police and other political violence have decreased and most political prisoners have been released. But farm attacks continue unabated despite their negative impact on investor sentiment.

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