Zimbabwe issues long-term land lease agreements to farmers

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has presented 99-year land lease agreements to 125 large-scale commercial farmers, confirming the government's commitment to ensure that lands return to the hand of its rightful owners, the majority Zimbabweans, Newsnet reported on Friday.

The historic development has received widespread applause from interest groups across the country as it comes to make a strong statement to the international community about Zimbabwe's seriousness on the land issue, the official media said.

The issuance of the agreements to the commercial farmers known as A2 farmers is a legal and constitutional development which brings land ownership to farmers while at the same time ensures confidence in the farming industry, the report said.

It added that the lease agreements stipulate and guarantee land ownership to farmers and provide collateral security to them while ensuring that lands remain a state property.

Shadreck Chipanga, chairperson of the parliamentary portfolio committee on justice legal and parliamentary affairs, highlighted the major difference between a lease agreement and a title deed.

"The 99-year lease agreement is an agreement that has been entered between the government and a farmer while a title deed is a document which shows proof of ownership after buying certain items," Chipanga said.

Source: Xinhua