The West only discovers property rights when the landowners are white
Zimbabwe is returning 67 farms to European nationals as part of efforts to restore relations with Western governments. This move highlights the disparity in how property rights are recognized, with European claims prioritized over African ones. The situation reflects ongoing tensions surrounding land ownership and colonial legacies in Zimbabwe.
- ▪Zimbabwe's government announced the return of 67 farms to European nationals from Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.
- ▪This decision is part of President Emmerson Mnangagwa's strategy to improve relations with Western nations after years of sanctions and isolation.
- ▪The restoration of these farms underscores the unequal treatment of European and African land claims in the context of colonial history.
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OPINIONOPINION, OpinionThe West only discovers property rights when the landowners are whiteAs Zimbabwe returns 67 farms to European nationals, the dispossession that created white land ownership remains unrecognised in law.By Tafi MhakaAl Jazeera columnist.Published On 27 May 202627 May 2026ListenListen (10 mins)SaveClick here to share on social mediashare-nodesSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoWorkers harvest sugar snap peas destined for European markets at a farm in Marondera, east of the capital Harare, Zimbabwe, May 4, 2026 [Philimon Bulawayo/Reuters]On May 7, Zimbabwe’s Agriculture Minister Anxious Masuka announced in parliament that the government would return 67 farms seized during the country’s land reform programme to European nationals from…
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