Mugabe land reform serious disadvantage to Mthwakazi people- MRP

Mthwakazi Republic Party has claimed that the land reform programme that was introduced by President Robert Mugabe in 2000 brought more disadvantages to people in Matabeleland when most of the people who benefited were from outside the provinces.

In a statement party, secretary general Hloniphani Ncube said Mthwakazi Republic Party appreciates that, the land crisis dates back from the colonial era up to the present day due to the unplanned self centred unpleasantly Mugabe led government land reform policy.

"Whilst the colonial land policies were quite unfair to the majority Mthwakazi people, the Mugabe policy doubled, because issues around land reform were not only unfair, but rather it became ruthless and more aggressive full of racism, tribalism and degradation of the Mthwakazi economy," he said.

"The land reform undertaken by Zanu PF government did not reform the imbalances that existed due to colonial policies, but instead imbalances became more tribal and intensively racial. Land particularly in Mthwakazi is now owned largely by the Shona cronies at the expense of the local Mthwakazi people and the friends of the Mugabe regime from the East."

He said for example in Ntabazinduna Obert Mpofu settled the Shona settlers from the grazing lands of the local Mthwakazi people without the consultation and approval of the local people.

"Our policy as a party is simple, we will distribute land equally among our citizens beyond colour, tribe and race. Both Whites and Blacks we believe can applying the principles of humanity solve this crisis, that would permanently address the wrong doings of the past," he said.

"As Mthwakazi Republic Party we believe land is key if properly dealt with to rebuild Bulawayo and Mthwakazi at large as an industrial hub of Africa and the world at large. Mthwakazi is blessed with rich lands with abundant mineral resources that are currently looted by the Zimbabwean government."

Ncube said it is on record that since 1980 the Mugabe led government have worked tirelessly to completely destroy Mthwakazi agricultural production which subsequently led to the collapse of the Mthwakazi agricultural.

"We believe in allocating commercial land to able people in spite of their race or tribe to revive the lost glory of Mthwakazi nation, which the Zanu PF government have worked tirelessly to disgrace it. Our expects in these areas have proven that since, it does not take more than six months to get Mthwakazi working again if the political administration is in proper hands," he said.

"Land crisis have not only been experienced in the agricultural sector and rural areas alone, but this under the influence of the 1979 grand plan have been implemented in Mthwakazi cities like Bulawayo, Gwanda, Plumtree and Lupane among others. Our teams on ground have established that the government of Zimbabwe through the ministry currently led by Kasukwere have worked tirelessly to distribute houses and stands to their fellow Shona people at the expense of the Mthwakazi people."

Ncube said there exist a high level of imbalances between the Shona people from Zimbabwe and other tribes including Sotho, Ndebele, Khalanga, Swati, Tonga among the hosts of others predominately Mthwakazi.

"We believe as a party that land reform is an urgent issue that does not need to wait until we have been granted independence to solve it. As a party we will start to work on addressing this matter very soon. With the people of Mthwakazi united, our vision is possible. We shall be free and very soon," Ncube said.