By Staff Writer
Harare - Zimbabwe’s new administration has instituted an audit into former President, Robert Mugabe’s multiple farms with a view of repossessing some of them, according to a report in the private daily, NewsDay.
The report said the audit will result in Mugabe – who owns as much as 14 farms including game parks – being left with just one in line with the country’s one farm per family policy.
According to Zimbabwe’s constitution, Section 293 subsection (2), “The State may not alienate more than one piece of agricultural land to the same person and his or her dependants”.
The opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) party accused Mugabe of failing to reign in on corruption and greedy accumulation of wealth “because he is deeply involved in unfair distribution of resources”.
“Mugabe’s grabbing of the country’s resources is also reflected in how he has managed to seize multiple farms across the country in total breach of the country’s Constitution,” PDP spokesperson, Jacob Mafume said in a recent statement.
Zimbabwe was known as the bread basket of Africa, producing enough food for itself and surpluses for export but today the country is, almost on an annual basis, importing even the staple grain, maize.
Critics blame the food crisis on the chaotic land reforms that saw the destruction of irrigation systems which used to help mitigate the impact of droughts.
Resettled farmers are also struggling to access loans as their leases are not bankable while government lacks the financial resources subsidize farming.
In instances where inputs have been availed, they have, on most occasions, been distributed late or diverted by party leaders for personal gain.
