Ruling ZANU PF officials and war veteran leaders have extorted millions of dollars from white commercial farmers in a massive racket under the government’s controversial land reform programme, the Financial Gazette established this week.
Farmers said a number of them had paid millions of dollars to politicians and war veterans after being threatened with eviction, sometimes from properties not listed for acquisition by the government.
The farmers said they had also paid money to have their farms removed from the acquisition list, which contains more than 90 percent of white-owned farms in Zimbabwe.
They said the racket had gathered momentum in the past five months, during which many commercial farmers had rushed to try and save properties designated for the resettlement of landless blacks and those seized by ruling party supporters, who began occupying farms in February 2000.
"Money has been paid to ZANU PF chefs and war veterans to have their farms delisted," a farmer who declined to be named said.
Sources said at least three Cabinet ministers, two provincial governors and a high-ranking ZANU PF Politburo member were involved in the scam.
Farmers said a number of them had paid millions of dollars to politicians and war veterans after being threatened with eviction, sometimes from properties not listed for acquisition by the government.
The farmers said they had also paid money to have their farms removed from the acquisition list, which contains more than 90 percent of white-owned farms in Zimbabwe.
They said the racket had gathered momentum in the past five months, during which many commercial farmers had rushed to try and save properties designated for the resettlement of landless blacks and those seized by ruling party supporters, who began occupying farms in February 2000.
"Money has been paid to ZANU PF chefs and war veterans to have their farms delisted," a farmer who declined to be named said.
Sources said at least three Cabinet ministers, two provincial governors and a high-ranking ZANU PF Politburo member were involved in the scam.