Human – environment relations in Zimbabwe: the case of land – pre colonial, colonial, and post – independence periods.

Abstract

This study uses mostly secondary data to investigate the land question in
Zimbabwe. The findings show that while the pre-colonial period was relatively
stable, the colonial period was characterised by the dispossession of native lands
using various legal instruments to legitimize the process. At the Lancaster House
Constitutional Conference of 1979, Britain agreed to fund Zimbabwe’s resettlement
program on a ‘willing-seller willing buyer’ basis to purchase land. Changes made
to both the Constitution and the Land Acquisition Act in 1991 to allow government
to ‘designate’ land for resettlement met opposition from white farmers, Britain and
the donor communities leading to the exit form the program of the latter two in the
late 90s. From then, government adopted the ‘fast track’ program to speed land
acquisition by making amendments to the Constitution to obligate Britain, to pay
compensation to farmers with designated land. Despite the violence precipitated by
the approach, the process received the Zimbabwe Supreme Court seal of approval
in 2001. The paper concludes by suggesting the way forward on the land reform
program.