Zimbabwe's Farm Invasions Scaring Potential Investors

The Union’s Vice President Deon Theron told Radio VOP: “We have not seen much change in the farms since the inclusive government was formed. We thought the formation of the coalition government was the  beginning of democracy in terms  of respect  of property  rights and rule  of law, but the  opposite is  what  is happening. This is counterproductive in a country that was beginning to show positive move in its economy and has a negative impact in the re-engagement with the international community.

“Investors now doubt to risk their investment in a country that has no respect to property rights. We are disturbed very much to see that …there is no prosecution to such people who are violating the law.”

Farm invasions by senior Zanu PF officials have continued with the latest case being that of the Land Reform and State Security, Didymus Mutasa, who together with his wife threatened a white commercial farmer, Gavin Woest, with death telling him to leave in minutes last Saturday.

In Mashonaland  West,  Zanu PF chairman for  land Temba Mliswa demanded  that black farmers leasing out land to whites should have  their  land repossessed by the  government.

Movement  for  Democratic Change party recently released  a comprehensive 2009 report on the harassment of white  farmers in the country despite the  formation of the inclusive government which guarantees respect to rule  of  law  and property  rights. The report says 1400 cases of harassment of white farmers were recorded and also indicates the names of senior Zanu PF officials who have been driving the farm invasions.