Compensation for White Farmers to Begin Soon, Says Finance Minister

Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, has confirmed that compensation for white commercial farmers who lost their farms during the land redistribution programme will begin soon.

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Speaking at the High-Level Structured Dialogue Platform Forum in Harare on Monday, Ncube explained that payments had been delayed due to a verification process.

“What we’re doing now is going through the verification process to ensure that when someone claims to be an aggrieved farmer needing payment, they truly own that piece of land and can identify its location,” Ncube said.

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“This verification process is critical. It took time, but we are now ready to start making payments.”

Zimbabwe has allocated US55 million in its 2024 budget for compensation: US20 million for “paper farmers” and US$35 million for “global compensation of deed farmers.”

Ncube stated that the government now has a clearer understanding of its liability after establishing a global compensation deed and agreements with the paper farmers.
The compensation process had already begun but was temporarily paused to complete the verification process.

In May 2024, the government invited farmers protected under Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreements (BIPPAs) to apply for compensation. Of the 99 applications received, 94 were approved.

Ten farmers have already signed compensation forms and are expected to receive payments within the next week, with the remaining 84 to be compensated over the next four years.

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Additionally, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries, and Rural Resettlement has cleared 444 farmers for compensation under the Global Compensation Deed, with US$35 million allocated for this purpose in the 2024 budget.