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Ian Smith’s Farm Seized in Zimbabwe as Robert Mugabe Eyes Re-Election
The farm of former white minority leader Ian Smith has been seized by Zimbabwe’s government.
Mr Smith led Rhodesia, as Zimbabwe was known, when its forces battled Robert Mugabe’s guerrillas in the 1970s.
Most white-owned land has been confiscated for redistribution to black farmers since 2000. Mr Smith’s farm, known as Gwenoro, had been left alone.
Ian Smith was Rhodesia’s prime minister from 1964 until 1979
Zimbabwe’s land-reform programme has been widely blamed for its economic collapse in recent years.
BBC Africa correspondent Andrew Harding says Gwenoro was perhaps the most symbolic of all Zimbabwe’s white-owned farms.
It was where Mr Smith bred cattle and lived for most of his adult life, even after he lost power in 1979.
His ashes were scattered there after he died in 2007.
The farm has been handed over to a local technical college – a move some are linking to next year’s election.
Foreign firms targeted
Mr Mugabe, 88, is running for another term.
Our correspondent says land ownership remains a highly politicised, emotive issue, and seizing Mr Smith’s farm may be seen as a vote-winner.
The AFP news agency also reports that Mr Mugabe on Friday told delegates to his party conference that he wanted to seize full control of foreign-owned companies.
His government has already passed an indigenisation law, which forced companies to cede 51% of shares to Zimbabweans.
“I think now we have done enough of 51%. Let it be 100%,” he told thousands of Zanu-PF delegates.
The indigenisation policy is opposed by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who will once more run against Mr Mugabe in the election.
The pair agreed to share power after disputes over the last election caused the economy to go into freefall.
BBC
Posted by
The ID10T
December 8, 2012 at 12:05 am
Ian Smith still had a farm in Zimbabwe? Why? that should have been the first farm to be taken.
Peter Kanyenga
December 8, 2012 at 3:00 am
Mugabe should have grabbed this devils farm a long time ago. He should go a step further and kick his ass out of Zimbabwe.
Village Chicken
December 8, 2012 at 8:24 am
@ Peter Kanyenga, read the article. Ian Smith no longer has an ass in Zimbabwe. What does your naame mean?
Babarossa
December 8, 2012 at 9:00 am
Kanyenga..uninformed *****,Smith is long dead.
lljd
December 8, 2012 at 9:48 am
@Peter kanyenga
you must be a clinical officer in northern zambia!
I know you !
ngwema
December 8, 2012 at 3:30 pm
Ba kanyenga,rushing to comment,mwa monekela, ichaileni fye!
suntwe
December 8, 2012 at 4:24 pm
Robert is a CDE HE HAS A HEART OF THE AGED COZ SOON THEY WILL MET HE HAS TO BE SOFT ON HIM
Chikundula
December 10, 2012 at 6:02 am
His ass cud min all his succesors n ths context.helpng kamuchinda
CNP-4U
January 17, 2013 at 8:01 pm
let the farm be utilised by the natives..!