By Derick Tsimba
Government has urged its resettled farmers to continue with the preparations for the 2020/21 farming season and not allow themselves to be perturbed by misinformation making rounds on social media alleging that Government is reversing the land reform program.
In a Joint Statement yesterday in Harare, the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement and the Minister of Finance and Economic Development clarified the misinterpretation of issues raised in the Joint Statement on the conclusion of the Global Compensation Deed issued on, 31st August 2020.
“It is important to state that the Land Reform Programme is irreversible and this chapter is closed and will not be revisited.
“The statements regarding the reversal of the Land Reform Programme are misplaced and should be dismissed with the contempt they deserve. We reiterate that the land is the birth right of all indigenous Zimbabweans and we will guard it jealously as we strive towards a highly productive agricultural sector to foster food security and the fulfilment of Vision 2030,” read the statement.
The Ministers also said there was no intension to reverse the gains of the Land Reform Programme.
“For clarity, we wish to state that there is no intention to reverse the gains of the Land Reform Programme. It is irreversible. The Constitution of Zimbabwe, Section 72, enshrines the right to agricultural land and this right is sacred and will be treated as such and guarded jealously. All attempts to divert our farmers from their preparations for the upcoming season through misconceived and misplaced statements should be rejected as we focus on ensuring a bountiful 2020-2021 farming season,” said the Ministers.
