Zimbabwe farmers displaced by new city compensated

The Zimbabwean Government has initiated the compensation process for over 300 farmers whose land was repossessed for the development of the new city in Mt Hampden, with five farmers already receiving full payments. The remaining farmers are expected to be compensated in the coming months.

The farmers, hailing from Mashonaland West and Mashonaland Central, previously owned 47 farms covering a combined area of over 15,500 hectares (ha). This land will serve as the foundation for the development of the new city, which is expected to house over 1.5 million residents upon its completion.

The compensation process follows a dual evaluation framework, ensuring fairness for both farmers who held title deeds for private land and those who were resettled under the Land Reform Programme. The Government has prioritised compensation for those whose farms were affected by the hosting of the 44th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government held in August last year.

Professor Obert Jiri, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, provided an update on the progress of the compensation process. He confirmed that five farmers had already been fully compensated, while the compensation committee recently approved payments for a significant portion of the remaining farmers.

"We have already compensated five farmers. The compensation committee recently met and approved compensation for a large number of farmers, leaving only a handful that we are still negotiating with," said Prof Jiri.

He explained that the affected farmers could be categorised into two groups: those who owned farms with title deeds, who were compensated for both the land and land improvements, and those resettled during the Land Reform Programme, who will be compensated only for the land improvements.

Dr. Shingirayi Mushamba, Chief Director (Spatial and Planning) in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, confirmed that the land in question had already been transferred to the Ministry of Local Government for development.

"When the farmers were given withdrawal letters, the land was transferred to the Local Government, and development started years ago," said Dr. Mushamba.

An inter-ministerial committee has been formed, consisting of representatives from the Ministries of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development; Local Government and Public Works; and National Housing and Social Amenities. This committee will facilitate the relocation of approximately 300 families to make way for the ambitious project.

The concept for the new city in Mt Hampden was approved by Cabinet in December 2018, with development accelerated by the opening of the new Parliament building. The city, expected to alleviate congestion in Harare's central business district, will occupy 15,500 hectares and is projected to accommodate more than 1.5 million residents upon its completion.

The development will be rolled out in four phases spanning ten years. The first phase, set to last two years, will focus on infrastructure development, with funding expected to come from Treasury and contributions from the private sector and other partners. Phase two will involve building baseline infrastructure through a mix of Treasury funds, public-private partnerships (PPPs), loans, and bonds.

Subsequent phases, from years five to ten, will focus on the development of commercial, residential, and industrial areas, with funding from PPPs, foreign direct investment (FDI), syndicated loans, development finance, and export credit finance.

The final phase, extending beyond year ten, will continue the development of commercial, residential, and industrial areas, leveraging private equity, PPPs, FDI, and syndicated loans.

Among the prominent investors in the Mt Hampden project is Dubai-based billionaire Mr. Shaji Ul Mulk, founder and chairperson of Mulk International Group. He has committed to building a US$500 million cyber city in the area, further highlighting the scope and potential of the new metropolis.

With the Government prioritising fair compensation for farmers and working alongside both public and private partners, the Mt Hampden development is poised to become a significant urban and economic hub in Zimbabwe. The successful relocation and compensation efforts are seen as crucial steps towards realizing the vision for the multi-billion-dollar city that will shape the future of Zimbabwe's urban landscape.