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The
scourge of political patronage: An economically sustainable programme
for land reform in the new Zimbabwe
Dale Doré
March 20, 2007
Link to Power
Point Presentation
This presentation
was made at the New Zimbabwe lecture Series at the Crowne Plaza
Monomotapa, Harare
The fundamental
principles of land reform:
- To resolve
the historical imbalance of land ownership
- To pay compensation
to those whose farms have been acquired, and
- To ensure
a fair, transparent and economically sustainable resettlement
process
To meet the
objectives of a just, transparent and economically sustainable land
reform programme requires a shift from a political narrative based
on ‘lost lands’ to an
economic programme based on secure property rights and the development
of a land market.
The political
narrative of ‘lost lands’
- White settlers
stole the land from the indigenous black population. Since the
land was stolen, it cannot be bought from those who stole it (whites),
nor should it be paid for by those who receive it (blacks).
- The state
is the custodian of land on behalf of all black Zimbabweans. The
state, represented by the President, is entrusted to distribute
land fairly and equitably to the poorest and most deserving black
Zimbabweans.
Key elements
of a sustainable economic land reform programme
Land is a
finite economic resource that must be used to its full potential by
ensuring:
- That it should
be utilised by those with the best farming skills, training and
experience
- Farmers should
have secure property rights that can be used as collateral for
loans to make farm investments and purchase inputs
- That land
transfers should take place through a market mechanism.
The
political narrative:
- An unsustainable
land reform model
- Securing
political control over farmland
- The new custodians
of ‘lost lands’
- Land distribution
and political patronage
- Opportunity
costs of Fast Track Programme
The
economic alternative:
- Property
rights promote investment, productivity
- Land transfers
through the market
- Misgiving
about a ‘market-assisted’ approaches
- Socially
responsible land market
- Dissolving
the dual agrarian economy
The political
narrative is based on an economically unsustainable land reform
model.
A massive fiscal
gap must inevitably open up as the governmnet has to pay more and
more for land at market prices and give it away free.
To secure the
supply of land to meet its populist political agenda the government
is forced to seize and control land through racist policies and
a series of unjust laws, and
To maintain
its grip on power the ruling party has to buy loyalty from powerful
interest groups: war veterans, the military, civil servants, politicians
and business people by rationing an infinite demand for land.
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