There has been a wave of jealousy and outrage from anti-Land Reform Programme (LRP) critics, including figures like Chofamba Sithole and Hopewell Chin’ono, over the issuance of Title Deeds to resettled farmers who actively participated in the 3rd Chimurenga from 2000.
In their distorted view, it is unacceptable for indigenous Zimbabweans to own land, which they claim was given to them for free, disregarding those who chose not to participate in the struggle for land reclamation, preferring instead to side with the former colonizers.
It is misleading for the anti-Title Deeds faction to suggest that beneficiaries of the LRP received land on a silver platter. Such revisionist thinking is not only absurd but also ridiculous. The reality is that landless black Zimbabweans stormed farms and engaged in fierce battles with former white commercial farmers to reclaim land that was stolen during the colonial era. It was these courageous individuals, led by figures like Chief Svosve, who made the Fast Track Land Reform Exercise a success, paving the way for the repossession of stolen land.
These brave landless Zimbabweans, supported by War Veterans, fought relentlessly on the ground despite the opposition from Western countries and local detractors such as the late Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC. Figures like Chin’ono sought to undermine the LRP, with the MDC even calling for sanctions against Zimbabwe in an effort to please Western funders. They misguidedly urged their supporters to shun the LRP, labeling it a ZANU PF agenda and arguing that it violated the property rights of white farmers.
Now, as the same 3rd Chimurenga fighters are being recognized and rewarded for their bravery, patriotism, and determination in fulfilling the primary goal of the liberation struggle – land repossession – the anti-LRP voices are protesting the issuance of Title Deeds. Chin’ono and others, who once benefited from imperialist funding to undermine the LRP, are now outraged by the recognition of those who endured the hardships brought about by the illegal sanctions imposed because of the LRP.
The anti-LRP brigade should turn to their funders for Title Deeds in recognition of their futile efforts to oppose the God-given right of land ownership. Instead of fighting the issuance of Title Deeds, they should wait for the completion of the Land Audit and the re-opening of offer letter applications, which will allow them, like all indigenous Zimbabweans, to apply for land and Title Deeds.
Contrary to the claims of the anti-Title Deeds critics, LRP beneficiaries will not hastily sell their birthright. These farmers have worked tirelessly on the land, often without resources, which has forced some into uneasy partnerships with former commercial white farmers who continue to benefit from resources they looted over centuries. Now, with bankable Title Deeds, indigenous farmers will have the means to secure capital from financial institutions and set new farming records, as they have already achieved against the odds, with minimal funding beyond Government initiatives such as Smart Agriculture and Pfumvudza.
