Vingirai reclaims farms after 2 decade legal battle, thanks Mnangagwa

Prominent banker Mr. Nicholas Vingirai has expressed gratitude to President Emmerson Mnangagwa for facilitating the return of his two farms in Mashonaland West province - Doondo and Sholliver - after nearly two decades of legal wrangling. The farms were compulsorily acquired by the State in 2005 but were later determined to have been wrongfully taken.

The Government had previously ruled that the farms' acquisition was erroneous and directed their return to Mr. Vingirai. However, bureaucratic hurdles delayed the process until a recent High Court ruling cemented his rightful ownership. Justice Tawanda Chitapi issued the court order, with the consent of the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development and the Minister of State for Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution, thereby facilitating the return of the properties.

Mr. Vingirai, represented by Mr. Tawanda Zvobgo of Zvobgo Attorneys, successfully challenged the acquisition, with the High Court ruling that the compulsory gazetting of the land was "wrongful and erroneous." The court further declared that the endorsements by the Registrar of Deeds were "null and void ab initio" and ordered their removal. The Registrar of Deeds has since confirmed the cancellation of these endorsements under consent numbers 278/2025 and 279/25.

Reflecting on the ruling, Mr. Vingirai acknowledged the struggles he endured over the past two decades, stating, "It has been a painful 20-year struggle for justice. I am naturally delighted by the developments. It is heartening that Government has remained resolute and faithful to its 2015 decision to return our farms, a decision that has been frustrated for 20 years by certain corrupt and unscrupulous officials."

He also credited President Mnangagwa's intervention for breaking the "seemingly endless road of bureaucratic process and procedure," which had hindered the finalization of the matter.

The farms were originally seized in 2005 when Mr. Vingirai was accused of 11 counts of theft and externalization of funds. However, he was later cleared of all charges. In 2015, the Government resolved to return both the farms and the Intermarket banking and insurance group, which had also been acquired as part of the allegations against him.

Further investigations conducted by the Government reinforced the finding that the acquisitions had been irregular. This was in line with the policy shift under the Second Republic, which in 2020 introduced Statutory Instrument 62 of 2020. The legal instrument was designed to either return land to indigenous Zimbabweans who had been dispossessed or compensate them accordingly for losses incurred during the Fast-Track Land Reform Programme.

The ruling marks a significant legal victory for Mr. Vingirai, underscoring the Government's commitment to addressing historical land disputes involving indigenous Zimbabweans. The banker remains optimistic about the future, emphasizing the importance of justice and the need to curb corruption within bureaucratic processes.