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"No policy change on land tenure, ownership"
The Herald
June 15, 2004

http://www.herald.co.zw/index.php?id=32951&pubdate=2004-06-15

THE Government has not changed the policy or law on land tenure and ownership, the Department of Information and Publicity in the Office of the President and Cabinet said yesterday

The statement followed local and international media reports that the Government planned a wholesale nationalisation of all land in the country.

"Following wide-ranging local and international media reports claiming the Government of Zimbabwe has decided on wholesale nationalisation of land, the Department of Information and Publicity in the Office of the President and Cabinet informs all concerned that there has not been any change of Government policy or law in respect of land tenure and ownership," the department said.

"Apart from existing forms of land tenure which remain in force and legally valid, land acquired under the fast-track and current phase of land reforms automatically reverts to the State, with beneficiaries accessing it under 99-year lease agreements with the State for general agricultural use, and 25-year lease agreements for conservancies.

"It is emphasised that this position only applies to land acquired by the State under land reforms, and does not in any way invalidate or supersede other lawful forms of tenure which, in any case, are recognised and protected by the laws of the land." The department said currently the Government’s preoccupation was to secure the ground so far covered on land reforms by ensuring that the gains of the Third Chimurenga were made legally and politically irreversible, were consolidated and extended to cover any unmet demand for land.

The Minister of Special Affairs Responsible for Lands, Land Reform and Resettlement, Cde John Nkomo, last week said Government had stepped up efforts to acquire more land with the sole objective of nationalising all productive farmland, from crop fields to conservancies.

He said the State wanted to abolish title deed holdings and replace them with 99-year leases while land leased out for wildlife and conservancies would be limited to 25-year leases.

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