Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo told selected diplomats on 21 December 2000 that land reform in Zimbabwe was irreversible so it was unhealthy to continue debating the issue.
He was addressing selected diplomats at a meeting organised by the United Nations Development programme resident representative Victor Angelo to brief them on the latest trends.
Chombo was accompanied by Finance Minister Simba Makoni, Lands Minister Joseph Made and Minister of State in Vice-President Joseph Msika’s office Olivia Muchena, but he dominated the meeting.
According to a diplomatic cable released by Wikileaks Chombo dismissed the results of the 1998 land donors’ conference because it had not produced any funds and had in fact led the government to “go it alone” in order to acquire land and resettle people on it as quickly as possible.
He said that once the goals of the fast-track resettlement exercise were accomplished, the “Finance Minister can come up with policies to pick up the economy”.
Chombo also said that The Commercial Farmers Union was masquerading as a pressure group because it did not represent more than 20 percent of its membership.
It was instead blocking progress using the courts and “breathing terror” into its members who wanted to cooperate with the government.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 00HARARE7263, LAND TASK FORCE TRIES TO PUT BEST FACE ON
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CONFIDENTIAL PTO6888
PAGE 01 HARARE 07263 01 OF 02 281020Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 COME-00
USNW-00 DINT-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EUR-00
FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 HHS-01 H-01 SSA-01 TEDE-00
INR-00 IO-00 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 DCP-01 NSAE-00
OES-01 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00
ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 IRM-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00
R-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00
/012W
——————B05B7D 281021Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7894
INFO NSC WASHDC
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 007263
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
PASS USAID FOR A/AID R.MCCALL, AA/AFR V. DERRYCK AND
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 07263 01 OF 02 281020Z
AFR/SA C. PALMA
PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/28/2010
SUBJECT: LAND TASK FORCE TRIES TO PUT BEST FACE ON
FAST TRACK RESETTLEMENT EXERCISE
REF: HARARE 7163 AND PREVIOUS
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D’AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR
REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D).
¶1. (C) UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (UNDP)
RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE VICTOR ANGELO HOSTED A MEETING
ON DECEMBER 21 FOR SELECTED HEADS OF MISSION WITH
MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE’S LAND TASK FORCE
THAT INCLUDED MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC WORKS
AND NATIONAL HOUSING IGNATIUS CHOMBO, MINISTER OF
FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SIMBA MAKONI, MINISTER
OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE AND RESETTLEMENT JOSEPH MADE, AND
MINISTER OF STATE IN VICE PRESIDENT MSIKA’S OFFICE
OLIVIA MUCHENA. THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING WAS TO
ACQUAINT KEY DONORS WITH THE EVOLVING VIEWS OF AND STEPS
TAKEN BY THE TASK FORCE WITH RESPECT TO THE CURRENT LAND
REFORM AND RESETTLEMENT EXERCISE. THE METING WAS
CONVENED SHORTLY AFTER UNDP ADMINISTRATOR MARK MALLOCH
BROWN’S LETTER TO PRESIDENT MUGABE (REFTEL) WAS
DELIVERED, BUT THE MINISTERS BEGGED OFF DISCUSSING IT,
AS THEY HAD NOT YET SEEN IT.
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 07263 01 OF 02 281020Z
¶2. (C) CHOMBO DOMINATED THE MEETING AND COVERED A LOT
OF WELL-TROD GROUND, SAYING LAND REFORM IN ZIMBABWE WAS
IRREVERSIBLE AND THAT IT WAS “UNHEALTHY” TO CONTINUE TO
DEBATE THE ISSUE. HE WAVED AWAY THE RESULTS OF THE 1998
LAND DONORS’ CONFERENCE THAT PRODUCED NO FUNDS, A FACT
THAT FORCED THE GOVERNMENT TO “GO IT ALONE” IN ORDER TO
ACQUIRE LAND AND RESETTLE PEOPLE ON IT AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE. HE ALSO SAID THAT ONCE THE GOALS OF THE FAST-
TRACK RESETTLEMENT EXERCISE WERE ACCOMPLISHED, THE
“FINANCE MINISTER CAN COME UP WITH POLICIES TO PICK UP
THE ECONOMY.” HOWEVER, HE CONCEDED THAT “WE ARE
AMENABLE TO DONORS ASSISTING US AFTER ACQUISITION.” HE
STATED THAT THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION MASQUERADES AS
A PRESSURE GROUP THAT DOES NOT REPRESENT MORE THAN 20
PERCENT OF ITS MEMBERSHIP, AND WAS BLOCKING PROGRESS
USING THE COURTS AND “BREATHING TERROR” INTO ITS MEMBERS
WHO WOULD WANT TO COOPERATE WITH THE GOVERNMENT. CHOMBO
STIFF-ARMED ANY CALLS BY THE FOREIGN HEADS OF MISSION
FOR A RETURN TO THE RULE OF LAW, SAYING THE WORDS STRUCK
FEAR INTO PEOPLE’S HEARTS IN ZIMBABWE AS, IN HEARING
THEM, THEY WERE REMINDED OF THE DAILY, DRACONIAN EDICTS
ISSUED BY RHODESIAN FRONT LAW AND ORDER MINISTER LARDNER
BECK.
¶3. (C) THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC WORKS AND NATIONAL
HOUSING MINISTER COUNTERED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS
FOLLOWING ITS OWN LAW AND RULES ON LAND REFORM. IT HAD
DELISTED 190 FARMS, SOME OF WHICH FALL UNDER ITS
CRITERIA OF LAND THAT WILL NOT BE ACQUIRED, FOR EXAMPLE
CONSERVANCIES, CHURCH PROPERTY, EXPORT ZONES, LAND THAT
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 07263 01 OF 02 281020Z
MET FOREIGN INVESTMENT CRITERIA, AND SOME NOT. THE
GOVERNMENT, HE CONTINUED, WOULD MOVE “DEMONSTRATORS” OFF
LAND THAT WAS NOT TARGETED FOR ACQUISITION. THE
GOVERNMENT ALSO HAD INTRODUCED THE CONCEPT OF
“ACQUISITION BY CONSENT,” WHEREBY A COMMERCIAL FARMER
WOULD GIVE UP A PORTION OF LAND NORMALLY NOT USED IN
FARMING FOR RESETTLEMENT AND WOULD BE ALLOWED TO KEEP
THE CORE AREA FOR HIS BUSINESS.
¶4. (C) AFTER CHOMBO CONCEDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT COULD
HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB OF COMMUNICATING ITS POLICIES AND
ACTIONS, LANDS, AGRICULTURE AND RESETTLEMENT MINISTER
MADE EXPLAINED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD ACQUIRED THE
INITIAL 804 FARMS LISTED IN JUNE AND THAT THE PROCESS BY
WHICH IT HAD DONE SO MET WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE
LAW. ACQUISITION ORDERS FOR THE BALANCE OF 2,000 FARMS
WOULD BE ISSUED IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH 2001 AND THE
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE HAD ALREADY MET TO ASSESS THE
COST TO THE GOVERNMENT. HE ALSO LAUNCHED A LONG,
SINUOUS, EXPLANATION OF HOW THE LAND REFORM PROCESS WAS
NOT MEANT TO DISRUPT THE STABILITY OF COMMERCIAL
AGRICULTURE, THE BACKBONE OF ZIMBABWE’S ECONOMY, AND
CONCLUDED, “IN THE POLITICAL ARENA, WE MUST ACCEPT THAT
YOU HAVE YOUR CONSTITUENCY AND WE HAVE OURS.”
UNDERSCORING THE OSTENSIBLE ORDERLINESS OF THE
GOVERNMENT’S LAND REFORM PROCESS, MINISTER OF STATE
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL PTQ7200
PAGE 01 HARARE 07263 02 OF 02 281020Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 COME-00
DINT-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EUR-00 FAAE-00
FBIE-00 VC-00 HHS-01 H-01 SSA-01 TEDE-00 INR-00
IO-00 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 DCP-01 NSAE-00 OES-01
OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00
P-00 SP-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 R-00 PMB-00
DSCC-00 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 SWCI-00 /012W
——————B05B84 281021Z /38
R 281020Z DEC 00
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7895
INFO NSC WASHDC
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 007263
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
PASS USAID FOR A/AID R.MCCALL, AA/AFR V. DERRYCK AND
AFR/SA C. PALMA
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 07263 02 OF 02 281020Z
PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/28/2010
SUBJECT: LAND TASK FORCE TRIES TO PUT BEST FACE ON
FAST TRACK RESETTLEMENT EXERCISE
MUCHENA CHIMED IN THAT DETAILED PLANS EXISTED AS TO WHAT
WOULD BE DONE WITH EVERY FARM IDENTIFIED FOR ACQUISITION
IN HER MASHONALAND EAST CONSTITUENCY.
¶5. (C) COMMENT: THE MEETING MARKED THE FIRST
OPPORTUNITY FOR KEY DONORS TO MEET FACE-TO-FACE AND
EXCHANGE VIEWS WITH GOVERNMENT CABINET MEMBERS. THE
PECKING ORDER WAS CLEAR: CHOMBO, FOLLOWED (DISTANTLY) BY
MUCHENA, MAKONI AND MADE. THE MINISTERS SEEMED TO HAVE
AN ANSWER FOR EVERY ARGUMENT THE WESTERN AMBASSADORS
MIGHT ADVANCE; CLEARLY THESE HAD BEEN DEBATED WITHIN THE
COUNCILS OF STATE AND PARTY HERE. TWO THINGS STRUCK US
AS EYEBROW RAISING. THE FIRST WAS CHOMBO’S RELEGATION
OF THE ECONOMY TO SOMETHING TO BE THOUGHT ABOUT AFTER
THE REAL BUSINESS OF GOVERNMENT WAS ACCOMPLISHED. THE
SECOND WAS THE ARROGANCE OF THIS GOVERNMENT THAT THINKS
IT HAS THE MONOPOLY ON TRUTH AND JUSTICE AND INVITES THE
DONOR COMMUNITY TO FUND ITS SOCIAL ENGINEERING
EXPERIMENT UNCRITICALLY. THE MINISTERS ONLY ENTERTAINED
MEETING WITH THE DONORS BECAUSE THERE’S A CREEPING
REALIZATION WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT THAT WITHOUT
RESOURCES, THE FAST-TRACK RESETTLEMENT EXERCISE WILL
FAIL. ON THE BASIS OF THE ATTITUDES AND NEGOTIATING
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 07263 02 OF 02 281020Z
SKILLS THEY DISPLAYED, DONORS WERE NOT READY TO SIGN ON.
THE GOVERNMENT MIGHT SHIFT THE BLAME ONTO SOMEONE ELSE
FOR ITS POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC FAILURES, A FACT THAT
SHOULD NOT BE LOST SIGHT OF. IF THE GOVERNMENT
CONTINUES ALONG THIS PATH WITHOUT MAKING ANY ADJUSTMENTS
TO ITS METHODS, ITS REAL LEGACY MAY WELL BE A
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS ENGINEERED IN HARARE AND PLACED AT
THE DOORS OF THE DONORS FOR CLEAN-UP AND RESOLUTION.
END COMMENT.
IRVING
CONFIDENTIAL
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