Zimbabwe: White farmers await compensation

It was a real surprise: Exactly a year ago, the government in Zimbabwe announced that it would compensate white farmers who had been expropriated a good 20 years earlier. What happened to the plans?

The land reform in Zimbabwe still divides the country today. It has been more than 20 years since white farmers were expropriated. The then President Robert Mugabe had taken seriously his demands that the white farmers have to leave their land.

More than 4000 of the total of 4500 white farmers were displaced at that time, at times also by force. A year ago, the current government caused a surprise. $ 3.5 billion should flow in compensation. Half of the money should have been paid out by today, the remaining amount spread over another five years.

Not much has happened since then, so far the farmers have been paid a total of one million dollars, says Ben Freeth. He had lost one of the most lucrative mango farms in Zimbabwe: “Even with the greatly reduced amount the government is talking about, which is far below what international law provides for compensation, it would take 3,500 years “We’d get $ 1 million a year for the agreed $ 3.5 billion compensation.”

First payment deferred

The situation is difficult, the economy is still down and financial reserves are – to put it mildly – not abundant in the country. It is therefore hardly surprising that the government in the capital Harare has officially announced that it will postpone the first payment, i.e. half the amount, for another year.

Andrew Mbvume from the Treasury explains it this way: “Because of the corona pandemic, we weren’t able to borrow everything we wanted. The search for a financial advisor was also delayed – but we have now done that.” For this reason it was decided to give another year to raise half of the compensation. “We are examining different options. It is a process. When we have the sum, we will communicate it.”

Many farmers see all of this as pure propaganda. Farmer Heinrich von Pezold had also lost part of his fortune in 2000. He went to international arbitration and successfully sued the government. But he, too, now sounds disillusioned: “We recognize that the government stands by the compensation, that is very positive. That is the government’s political course. But we prefer to see deeds instead of words.”

No trust in the country’s financial capabilities

After all: In this year’s budget, the government has earmarked around $ 25 million for compensation. But that is still a drop in the ocean, says farmer Ben Freeth: “My point of view is that the government was simply under pressure to reach an agreement with the farmers. But you have to ask yourself whether there is any money at all so that it can really happen. ” He doesn’t believe that the country can do that. “3.5 billion is a lot of money for a country that’s basically broke.”

The farmers have been fighting for years – partly for their land, mostly for financial compensation. The large-scale expropriation is considered to be one of the most devastating acts of the Robert Mugabe era. Current President Emmerson Mnangagwa said a year ago, when the deal became public, that land reform could not be reversed. The compensation payments are the key to re-establishing relations with the West. As of today: It is still not easy.