There are moments in the history of a nation when leadership is called upon not merely to administer, but to protect the legacy upon which that nation was built.For Nyanga, the protection of land lawfully allocated to beneficiaries of Zimbabwe’s Land Reform Programme is one such responsibility.
By Councilor Ernest Magadzire
More than two decades after the Fast-Track Land Reform Programme transformed Zimbabwe’s agrarian landscape, the country continues to strengthen systems that provide security of tenure to those who benefited from this historic national programme.
However, emerging concerns regarding attempts to challenge or reclaim land occupied by legitimate beneficiaries, particularly liberation war veterans and their families, require responsible leadership and close attention.
Where such disputes arise, they must be addressed through the law and through the institutions mandated to administer Zimbabwe’s land policy. Most importantly, vulnerable families must not be placed at risk simply because the original beneficiary is deceased.
The land was part of the liberation struggle
For Zimbabwe’s liberation war veterans, land is not merely an economic asset.
It is part of the history of the struggle.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has repeatedly emphasised this connection between land, the liberation struggle and national sovereignty. He has described land as the “birth-right of our people” and the “sacred inheritance for which many fought and sacrificed.” He has further stressed that securing land title for veterans and communities is fundamental to consolidating the country’s sovereignty.
The President has also been unequivocal that Zimbabwe’s Land Reform Programme is irreversible and protected.
In addressing the question of land tenure, he stated that the Constitution obligates the State to provide security of tenure to citizens, including war veterans, their children and other dependants. That position is particularly important when considering the circumstances of deceased liberation war veterans.
The passing of a war veteran must not automatically create a vulnerability through which the family’s legitimate interests in land can be undermined.
The welfare of veterans extends to their families
President Mnangagwa’s position is perhaps best captured in his recent declaration:
“Under my leadership, the welfare of our veterans is inseparable from that of their families.”
This principle has profound meaning.
A liberation war veteran did not fight merely for his or her own benefit. The struggle was fought for future generations of Zimbabweans.Therefore, where a veteran lawfully benefited from the Land Reform Programme, the interests of the family left behind cannot simply be disregarded upon the veteran’s death.
Indeed, Government’s National Development Strategy 2 provides for measures to ensure that dependants of deceased liberation war veterans continue to receive appropriate benefits. This is not about giving anyone preferential treatment outside the law. It is about ensuring that the historical beneficiaries of Zimbabwe’s liberation and land reform programmes are not rendered vulnerable because of administrative gaps, competing claims or the death of the original beneficiary.
Comrade Mahiya and the responsibility to protect the liberation legacy. The position of the War Veterans leadership has equally placed land at the centre of preserving the legacy of the liberation struggle.
Comrade Douglas Mahiya, Secretary for War Veterans, Ex-Political Prisoners, Detainees and Restrictees League, has consistently spoken about securing the gains made by those who fought for Zimbabwe.
Following the Government’s efforts to strengthen land tenure, Cde Mahiya welcomed the transition from offer letters to secure, bankable title deeds, describing this as a means of turning the land secured through the liberation struggle into “multi-generational wealth.”
That concept of multi-generational wealth is particularly relevant to the children of deceased liberation war veterans. The land acquired through the sacrifices of the liberation generation should not become a source of vulnerability for the next generation. Rather, it should become a foundation upon which families can build livelihoods, sustain agricultural production and contribute to the development of their communities.
Nyanga must protect legitimate beneficiaries. It is therefore incumbent upon the leadership of Nyanga to take seriously any reports of attempts to dispossess lawful beneficiaries of land reform.
This does not mean that every land dispute should be interpreted politically. Nor does it mean that legitimate claims should be ignored because of the identity of the claimant.
Rather, every claim must be tested against the official record, the applicable law and the documentation held by the relevant authorities. Where a liberation war veteran or his or her family holds legitimate documentation confirming the allocation or lawful occupation of land, that position must be properly recognised and protected pending determination of any genuine dispute.
Where a competing claim exists, the matter must be referred to the competent land authorities for verification and determination.
No family should be intimidated.
No beneficiary should be unlawfully removed.
And no individual should be allowed to exploit the death of a liberation war veteran as an opportunity to challenge the family’s legitimate interests without due process. This is about sovereignty, not race
It is important that this conversation is handled responsibly. The issue should not be reduced to a confrontation between black Zimbabweans and white Zimbabweans. The central question is the protection of Zimbabwe’s sovereign land reform programme and the rights of lawful beneficiaries.
Any person, regardless of race or background, who has a legitimate claim should have access to the law.
Equally, any person—regardless of race or background—who seeks to dispossess another person unlawfully must be subjected to the same legal processes. The strength of Zimbabwe’s sovereignty is demonstrated when its institutions protect lawful ownership and occupation, resolve disputes fairly and ensure that historical injustices are not reproduced.
The children must not become the vulnerable link. This is perhaps the most important issue facing Nyanga leadership. When a liberation war veteran is alive, he or she can personally defend the family’s interests.
But when that veteran dies, the children may not possess the same institutional knowledge, resources or influence to defend the family’s position.
That is precisely why leadership and institutions must remain vigilant.The children of deceased liberation war veterans should not be viewed as an easy point of entry for anyone seeking to challenge the family’s legitimate land interests. The President has already made clear that the welfare of veterans cannot be separated from the welfare of their families.
That commitment must translate into action on the ground. A call for vigilance and lawful intervention
Nyanga leadership should therefore establish a clear mechanism for receiving, documenting and escalating reports involving potentially vulnerable families of deceased liberation war veterans. Such cases should be supported by evidence, including offer letters, permits, leases, title documentation, correspondence, land records and any other relevant documentation.
The relevant authorities should then be engaged to verify the competing claims and provide a lawful determination.
This approach protects everyone.
It protects the legitimate beneficiary.
It protects the integrity of the Land Reform Programme.
It protects the credibility of Government’s land administration system.
And it protects Zimbabwe from unnecessary conflict arising from disputes that should ultimately be resolved through established institutions.
Protecting the legacy
President Mnangagwa has made the Government’s position clear: Zimbabwe’s Land Reform Programme is irreversible and protected, while secure land tenure is being pursued to ensure that beneficiaries can derive lasting economic value from the land. For war veterans, this is more than an agricultural policy.
It is the material expression of a sacrifice made during the liberation struggle.
For their children, it represents a legacy.
For Zimbabwe, it represents sovereignty.
Nyanga must therefore remain vigilant.
Where there are credible reports of attempts to dispossess legitimate beneficiaries, the leadership must not look away. It must listen, document, investigate and ensure that the matter reaches the competent authorities.The answer to land disputes must always be law, evidence and due process.
But equally, the passage of time must never be allowed to erase the sacrifices of those who fought for Zimbabwe’s independence.
The children of those who fought for the country must never be left vulnerable simply because their parents are no longer alive to defend the legacy they left behind. As President Mnangagwa has reminded the nation, securing land title for veterans and communities is about cementing the foundation of Zimbabwe’s sovereignty.
That sovereignty must be protected.
That legacy must be protected.
