Episode description

“We are encouraged by the fact that indigenous farmers will now have these land titles and may be able to find value in the land they own. It’s optimism with a lot of caution” – Zimbabwean farmer Kudakwashe Musasiwa Zimbabwe’s government recently announced that it will give black farmers permanent title to land seized from white farmers in the past two decades. In this way, the indigenous citizens will finally own these properties and be in a position to secure affordable finance from banks. This is something they are unable to do under the current 99-year leases. At the same time, the country’s Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube said, white farmers whose land was taken during president Robert Mugabe’s tenure would be compensated. Today Alan Kasujja attempts to find out what all these developments mean for Zimbabwe.

Guests: The BBC’s Shingai Nyoka and farmer Kudakwashe Musasiwa