US embassy cable - 01HARARE1583

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 001583 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JFRAZER 
LONDON FOR CGURNEY 
PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AFR/SA - CPALMA, 
NNEWMAN, AA/AFR - VDICKSON-HORTON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/11 
TAGS: PGOV, EAGR, PHUM, PINR, PINS, ZI, Land Reform 
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE MINISTER ANNOUNCES START OF NEW "ULTRA 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  01583  111104Z 
FAST-TRACK" LAND PLAN 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D' AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR 
REASONS 1.5 (B/D). 
 
1. (SBU) IN AN INTERVIEW IN THE MAY 4-10 ISSUE OF THE 
PRO-RULING PARTY NEWSPAPER "THE ZIMBABWE MIRROR", THE 
MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC WORKS AND NATIONAL 
HOUSING, IGNATIUS CHOMBO, ANNOUNCED THAT THE GOVERNMENT 
OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ) HAD RECENTLY INITIATED A NEW PHASE OF 
THE "FAST-TRACK" LAND REFORM PROGRAM, CALLED "ULTRA 
FAST-TRACK", WITH THE INTENT OF RESETTLING 35,000 PEOPLE 
ON COMMERCIAL FARMS BY THE END OF MAY.  THERE WAS NO 
EXPLANATION GIVEN IN THE ARTICLE REGARDING HOW THE GOZ 
WAS GOING TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, GIVEN THE WIDESPREAD 
DISORGANIZATION, LACK OF PLANNING AND CORRUPTION THAT 
HAS CHARACTERIZED "FAST-TRACK" UP TO NOW.  CHOMBO ALSO 
STATED IN THE INTERVIEW THAT THE GOZ MIGHT NOW 
COMPULSORILY ACQUIRE UP TO EIGHT MILLION HECTARES OF 
LAND FROM WHITE COMMERCIAL FARMERS.  EVEN THIS WAS NOT A 
FINAL LIMIT AS HE ADDED, "WE WILL SETTLE PEOPLE AS LONG 
AS THERE IS A NEED TO REDISTRIBUTE THE LAND." 
 
2. (SBU) MINISTER CHOMBO IS ALSO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE 
INTER-MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON LAND RESETTLEMENT.  IN 
THIS ROLE, AND AS PART OF HIS CABINET PORTFOLIO, HE HAS 
BEEN THE POINT MAN ON GOZ PLANS FOR PHYSICALLY 
RESETTLING THE PEOPLE ON THE OCCUPIED COMMERCIAL FARMS. 
IN THE INTERVIEW, HE STATED THAT THE GOZ EXPECTS THE 
RESETTLED PEOPLE TO BEGIN BUILDING PROPER, PERMANENT 
HOUSING FOR THEMSELVES AND NOT THE TEMPORARY HUTS THAT 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  01583  111104Z 
THE OCCUPIERS HAVE BEEN BUILDING SINCE THE INVASIONS 
BEGAN IN FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR.  HE ALSO STATES THAT THE 
RESETTLED PEOPLE ARE TO PLAN THOROUGHLY SO THAT THEY 
ESTABLISH PROPER VILLAGES WITH RUNNING WATER, 
ELECTRICITY, TOILETS, AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE. 
HOWEVER, NOWHERE IN THE INTERVIEW DOES HE MENTION PLANS 
FOR THE GOZ TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE OR 
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT TO THE RESETTLED PEOPLE TO 
ENABLE THEM TO BUILD NEW HOMES AND MODERN VILLAGES. 
 
3. (SBU) THE MAY 4-10 EDITION OF THE "ZIMBABWE 
INDEPENDENT" NEWSPAPER STATED THAT THE MOST RECENT 
LISTING OF FARMS THAT THE GOZ HAS GAZETTED FOR 
COMPULSORY ACQUISITION INCLUDES SOME OF ZIMBABWE'S MOST 
PRODUCTIVE COFFEE AND TEA ESTATES, AS WELL AS PIECES OF 
LAND IN THE EASTERN HIGHLANDS OF THE COUNTRY ON WHICH 
ARE LOCATED TOURIST HOTELS AND TIMBER FARMS.  THE LIST 
ALSO INCLUDES LAND ALREADY OWNED BY THE NATIONAL 
GOVERNMENT AND RURAL COUNCIL GOVERNMENTS.  THE PRESIDENT 
OF THE ZIMBABWE COUNCIL OF TOURISM, PEDIA MOYO, STATED 
THAT IT DID NOT MAKE SENSE FOR THE GOZ TO ATTEMPT TO 
RESETTLE PEOPLE IN THE MOUNTAINOUS EASTERN HIGHLANDS. 
SHE POINTED OUT THAT, "RESETTLED FARMERS WOULD HAVE TO 
SPECIALIZE IN GROWING PINE, WATTLE, OR OTHER SUCH TREES 
FROM WHICH THEY WILL ONLY REALIZE A RETURN AFTER ABOUT 
20 YEARS." 
 
4. (C) COMMENT: THE NEW "ULTRA FAST-TRACK" PLAN, AS WELL 
AS THE LATEST LIST OF PROPERTIES GAZETTED FOR COMPULSORY 
ACQUISITION, AMPLY DEMONSTRATE THAT THE GOZ HAS NO 
RATIONAL OR THOUGHT-OUT PLAN FOR LAND REFORM OR 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  01583  111104Z 
RESETTLEMENT.  THE IDEA THAT THE GOZ CAN RESETTLE 35,000 
PEOPLE BY THE END OF MAY IS PATENTLY ABSURD.  IT IS ALSO 
CLEAR FROM THIS SKETCHY PLAN THAT RESETTLED PEOPLE WOULD 
HAVE TO RELY ON THEIR OWN RESOURCES FOR BUILDING HOMES 
AND ESTABLISHING VILLAGES.  GIVEN THAT THE PEOPLE BEING 
RESETTLED ARE BY THE GOZ'S OWN ADMISSION POOR AND 
LANDLESS, IT IS EASY TO SEE THAT THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE 
TO CONSTRUCT MORE THAN THE MOST RUDIMENTARY STRUCTURES, 
MEANING THE MUD AND WOOD THATCHED HUTS THEY HAVE BEEN 
BUILDING TO THIS POINT.  THE LISTING OF PROPERTIES WITH 
TOURIST FACILITIES ON THEM INDICATES THAT THE GOZ IS 
EITHER BLINDLY LISTING PROPERTIES, OR THAT SUCH 
PROPERTIES MAY NOW BE VIEWED AS POLITICAL PATRONAGE 
PLUMS FOR TRUE SUPPORTERS OF THE RULING PARTY.  THE 
LIKELY TRUTH IS THAT BOTH FACTORS ACCOUNT FOR SUCH 
LISTINGS.  END COMMENT. 
 
IRVING 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
>