Zimbabwe has compensated 800 white former farmers whose property was taken for land reform since 2000, Harare’s government-controlled Herald newspaper reported on Monday.
Its website quoted the minister responsible for the land and resettlement programme, Flora Buka, as saying billions of Zimbabwean dollars had been paid out in compensation.
More farmers will in the coming months be paid out for improvements made on their land before they were kicked off.
”As government, we are committed to paying for the infrastructure which was owned by the white farmers,” Buka said.
She said the Treasury has promised adequate funding for the exercise, expected to run until year-end.
Buka did not give the exact amount of funds set aside, saying the money is being disbursed in quarterly tranches.
At present, 226 white farmers are listed for eviction after receiving notices due to expire before at the end of September.
Initially, the farmers were supposed to move out of the properties at the beginning of February, but were offered a reprieve to allow them to vacate the land in an organised way.
Once acquired, the farms will be set aside for allocation to the land hungry, said Buka. — Sapa