Zimbabwean authorities have commenced a compensation of US$3 million (£2.3 million) to all white farmers who were affected by a controversial government initiative which saw the claiming of properties that belonged to them.
The initiative is believed to have taken place between 2000 and 2001, where thousands of white farmers were forcibly removed from their land, often through violent means.
Reports say that the land seizures, was a a strategy employed by government against historical injustices from the colonial period. This, ultimately contributed to the nation’s economic downturn and strained relations with Western countries.
Announcement of the payments were made earlier this week, with all farmers divided into batches. According to an official statement the government will address the first 378 farms out of a total of 740 that have received approval for compensation.
This amount constitutes 1% of the overall $311 million set aside for the initial round of payments.
The remaining funds will be disbursed through US-dollar denominated Treasury bonds, as stated by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube.
A representative for the farmers, Harry Orphanides informed the BBC that more farmers are now expressing interest in participating in the compensation process.
However, a significant number of former farmers have yet to enroll in the program and continue to retain their title deeds.
He emphasized, “One of our commitments in our efforts to reform the Zimbabwean economy and settle our debts is to compensate former farm owners who lost their properties during the land reform program. We have now started to fulfill that promise.”
According to reports, the compensation marks the first disbursement under the 2020 compensation agreement established between the government and local white farmers, in which Zimbabwe pledged to pay a total of $3.5 billion (£2.6 billion) for the confiscated farmland.
