SINCE HIS controversial land reform programme began 10 years ago, Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe has personally taken control of six former white-owned farms, a South African newspaper claimed yesterday.
The Sunday Independent’s claim that the veteran leader has amassed a farming empire in his tribal area worth about €2.1 million runs contrary to his repeated assertion that none of the beneficiaries of farm expropriation should receive more than one property.
Mr Mugabe has publicly insisted on this condition, saying as many African Zimbabweans as possible should benefit from the land grabs that have led to more than 4,000 white commercial farmers losing their farms since 1999.
However, multiple farm ownership among Mr Mugabe’s allies has become common, with many observers saying the 85-year-old gives the confiscated land to his cronies as a means to reward them for their continued loyalty.
The investigation into Mr Mugabe’s farming interests is the first to publicly outline how much he has gained from the land invasions, which continue despite the existence of the powersharing deal designed to stabilise the country.
One of the main clauses in the global political agreement signed by Mr Mugabe and his oppositions rivals last February calls for a land audit to be carried out to determine how best the government can kick-start the crippled agricultural sector.
But this audit has yet to begin.
Many analysts believe Mr Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party is stalling the process because it fears the figures would unveil the extent of their abuse of public resources.
Mr Mugabe purchased one of the six farms and the owners of the other two were forced out in 2006 and last year. Former president of Zimbabwe’s Commercial Farmers’ Union Trevor Gifford told the newspaper that because the farms involved had six separate title deeds, Mr Mugabe was “breaking his own rules”.
“None of owners of the five farms have been paid any compensation for them, which they should be according to the law,” he said.
Mr Mugabe’s wife, Grace, has also taken over at least six farms since 2002, from which she produces around a million litres of milk each year.
Mrs Mugabe’s properties are believed to amount to about 12,000 acres.