Land commission to carry out land audits

THE newly appointed Zimbabwe Land Commission will carry out periodic land audits to determine equitable use of land and productivity as the country seeks to continue producing enough food for its citizens and exports.

Zimbabwe's economy has been traditionally anchored on agriculture but over the years, the country has been forced to import food to cover for deficits.

Last year, however, the country recorded one of its biggest maize harvests and the Government is seeking to ensure the country maintains the momentum. President Mnangagwa last week sworn in four commissoners of the Zimbabwe Land Commission led by chair Ms Tendai Ruth Walker. The other members are Mr Abdul Credit Nyathi (Vice-Chair), Ms Lauretta Marembo and Mr Phillip Sawera.

In an interview, Mr Nyathi said the Commission will conduct periodical audits of agricultural land, make recommendations to the Government regarding the acquisition of private land for public purposes, equitable access to and holding and occupation of agricultural land.

"As we carry out our duties, we are set to eliminate all forms of unfair discrimination, particularly gender discrimination.

The enforcement of any law restricting the amount of agricultural land that may be held by any person or household among others."

Mr Nyathi said the commission was ready to set the ball rolling and fulfill its mandate.
"We were sworn on 20 October by President Mnangagwa at the State House as commissioners. The Commission itself is constitutionally constituted.

As a Commission we work through committees and we are in the process of forming our committees that are going to be split in line with the various functions. We have got the secretariat to the tune of more than 90 workers and we are ready to start work now.

The economy of this country is agriculture based therefore it is farmers who are actually benefiting 100 percent from the ZLC. When we do our activities, our intention is to enable the farmer to fully utilize the land, hence we are there to serve the people," he said.

Mr Nyathi said the Commission brought about by the mandate of the Constitution Section 296 and has its functions outlined in Section 297, seeks to ensure accountability, fairness and transparency in the administration of agricultural land that is vested in the State.

Mr Nyathi said with an agricultural presence in the Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU), being part of the Commission, one key component in both was to see production on the land.

He said of all the land that is committed in production, the Commission was set out to ensure accountability, fairness and transparency in the administration of the agricultural land.

"In the process of administration, the results are in production. Production is linked with the ZFU and the Commission. It is those farmers who have been allocated land who are into production.

The Commission wants to see the accountability of one occupying and producing on the land in terms of food sustenance and economically contributing to the GDP of the country through agriculture."

An Act to provide for the ZLC was established by Section 296 of the Constitution with the Act concerning with a wide variety of matters regarding land tenure and use dealings with State land.