Impasse
I have really struggled to try and write the first part of the blog. I had thought I had talked enough about the GCD but following a re-read of a letter received from an old and close friend, he has contrary views to mine, I therefore have decided to revisit the subject, if not for you, for my peace of mind.
“It is certainly possible my take of the GCD may be wrong, especially in the event the bonds were removed and we reverted back to the original cash proposal. Perhaps it is an example of the case as some of my friends tell me, “Peter, you're not often right, but you are wrong again.” - Peter McSporran
There has been so much rhetoric around compensation and the most recent rejection by the Title Deed Holders (TDHs) now seems to have attracted enough international attention for the African Development Bank to get involved, be it rhetoric at this stage. This rhetoric and obvious uncertainty has gathered momentum while the parties promoting the proposed agreement under the GCD remain silent.
Zimbabwe is a thorn in the rest of Africa’s side, so to get it back in the fold is important, especially for the region as well as the whole of Africa. None more so than for the people of Zimbabwe themselves. They are desperate to see their country return to a place of normality where work, health and education are once more restored to their previous levels prior to the land invasion debacle. How they would love a stable currency. We farmers may have lost our farms, but most Zimbabweans have lost their employment with inflation making all their local savings and pensions worthless. Those employed in agriculture were the first losers, lost jobs and Statuary Instrument 6 payouts becoming worthless within months not years.
“It should never be forgotten that commercial agriculture prior to 2000 employed some 300,000 workers equating to between one and a half and two million people losing their livelihood when the farms were illegally confiscated. Nothing has ever been said about them by world leaders or the so-called do-gooders of the world’s liberal community.” - Peter McSporran
I remember when the land invasions commenced, I chatted to one of my black neighbours and friend, Robbie Mupawose, seeking his thoughts on the land invasions. I had known Robbie for many years having dealt with him while he was Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture (1980-1987) when sense generally prevailed. By 2000, he was a commercial farmer and chairman of some of the leading corporations in Zimbabwe. He said he did not believe Mugabe would destroy the country’s economy and hopefully, it would blow over. He felt Mugabe could not be so vindictive in his persecution of white farmers that he would allow the economy to be destroyed. Of course, he was proved to be wrong and instead of heeding the advice of people like Robbie, a pragmatic technocrat, Mugabe went on not only to destroy agriculture but the very fabric of the country’s economy.
When the British first threatened to withdraw funding for land reform way back in 1983, Robbie was quoted as saying that redistributing land does not ensure land reform nor create farmers. This is not verbatim, however, his statement should have been heeded. As has been proven, many billions, much greater than the value of the land, have been wasted in the futile exercise of trying to create instant ‘new’ commercial farmers. Many of these people were smallholders, yet, whole farms were grabbed by politicos and politically connected city layabouts and civil servants.
Why am I writing this, you ask? Because like many, I have been criticised for not supporting the GCD bond deal, and without considering the historical facts, it is impossible to either give or remove credibility to the GCD. I have not changed my opinion.
“The promised early cash payment over five years was the teaser on the line for us to take up with the GCD. This teaser was quickly substituted by the unpalatable bait in the form of bonds. We must be aware the angler offering the bait is a hook and cook type, not a catch and release type.” - Peter McSporran
The land was taken for political expediency, ZANU-PF still declares the war was to address the historical land inequality. Hence, when the Government became unpopular, why not recover the popularity of the people by giving them land? Without the training, tools and finance, they were doomed to fail and now all are suffering much greater than before independence.
I would say in my analysis, the Government would be ousted if there was freedom of choice within the political system of Zimbabwe and therefore the little genuine support they have relies on the land being in the hands of their supporters and cronies. With spiralling debt in a failed economy, debt has become the Government's biggest headache. Now they are desperate to address the historical debt to enable them, yes, to borrow more. They are keen to do so by not taking on further debt. How to do this? Get a sharp international consultant to come up with a plan. The purpose of the present exercise under the GCD is about proving to others they have dealt with the land compensation issue, meanwhile, be it without paying or at least by kicking the debt into the stands for the foreseeable future. Remember, this is in their eyes, doubtful the world would accept it as such, but there is no limit to the perfidy of politicians if it suits their purpose.
By having an agreement with the farmers they will have duped us into signing their titles away for worthless pieces of paper. Remember, there are many forms of greed, so the benefactors of such an agreement need to be closely observed. I do not think the present ruling party has the desire and even if it did, nor the political goodwill of its members to allow compensation of white farmers.
"There are many more waiting their turn to feed from the politically sponsored trough of corruption in Zimbabwe.” - Peter McSporran
Bear in mind, there are many black farmers that also lost land, but other than appeals in parliament by Rusty Markum, their plight is ignored.
To open the coffers for further loans, despite what the African Development Bank says, there are far too many hurdles for this government to get over. Many of these are too high for their political appetite or their ongoing insatiable greed of gaining wealth through corruption.
“This is a country (Zimbabwe) where large quantities of gold pass through the airport in suitcases weekly to be replaced, perhaps not fully, by hard currency coming back in, inside the same suitcases. It is deemed by the Government and Reserve Bank that no laws are being broken. If you believe that, then maybe you can believe the bonds will be honoured.” - Peter McSporran
One of the issues which keep raising its ugly head, is the question, ‘Are we legally bound to the GCD and all its components including commissions?’ I think not. If you are like me, I have not signed a document or given my power of attorney to a third party to act on my behalf in regard to the GCD. Enforcement would be extremely difficult if it is presumed the CSC and Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) acted unilaterally on our behalf. Be clear, I am not talking about any previous agreement you may have personally signed on behalf of yourself or your company with a third party.
A passing thought, how wonderful if cash materialised at the table. How much upfront payment as a percentage of each claim would give us the confidence to proceed?
A Stray Pair of Knickers.
Carrying on with my trip to Europe with Joe and Wendy Whaley in 1987, departing Amsterdam, we set off for Edinburgh. At that time, I was travelling on a Zimbabwe passport arriving at Edinburgh Airport the immigration official on opening my passport started laughing and asking me if I was a joker. I informed him, no perplexedly and asked if he could clarify what was amusing him so much. It was my name. He thought, being an East Coast lowlander, that McSporran was a joke, a name given to teuchters from the Highlands in comics. The Zimbabwean passport was not helping my cause. Eventually, one of his fellow officers informed him it was a real name, not an African derivative and in addition, it was Scottish. This had the Whaley’s in fits at my discomfort. From there we headed to my cousins, the Hamiltons, in Galashiels in preparation for attending the Highland Show at Ingleston, which is right next to Edinburgh Airport. We were still slightly inebriated from my uncle’s Genever Gin in Holland, so it did not take us long to get happy again after a few welcoming ‘Deoch an Dorises.’ During the evening it came up that I could pass a breathalyser no matter what I drank. This was because of an incident following the bull sale in Harare, circa 1986 which I have only remembered as I write. I am travelling most of this week, therefore, I will save that story for next week. The Whaley’s went on to see their friends, the Wilsons, before returning to my cousins for another night of cheer. At about four in the morning, Robert, my cousin, Linda’s husband and a policeman to boot, decided to breathalyse me and to his astonishment and mine I showed negative. For many years, this gave me the false confidence to drive when I perhaps should not have, the test stupidly being the consideration, rather than my own and others' safety. I can say, we were wild Zimbabweans, or rather transitioning Rhodesians at that time.
Duly, we attended the Highland Show where I was forced to leave my cousin's red mini in the car park (field) to be found on its own in an empty field two days later following the show. I may have been able to pass the breathalyser but was certain the policemen in Scotland would recognise a drunk when they saw one. During the show, I stayed with my good friend from college, Mike Clark and his good wife Vari at Bonnytoun Farm, Linlithgow.
That trip I had to meet with Peter Calkin from Cannon Garth about groundnut marketing and decided to join the Whaley’s in London and meet him there. From London Joe, Wendy and I travelled to Newbury to visit some ex-Zimbabwean friends, Clive and Jane Whitehead. Clive’s brother, William was at that time still headmaster of our local school in Darwendale sponsored by local farmers. This was done mainly through donating tobacco bales procured by the persuasive Strath Brown.
While there, we were invited to what was known as the ‘Blackwood House Picnic Ball.’ Suitably attired in the right clothes for such a posh event, we soon were into the swing of things, although our accents were not the norm amongst those ‘Sloan Rangers.’ It was a large event and at one point we even had the police visit to see if all was well. On seeing all was not well, they left. The evening culminated in me fully dressed in my evening suit taking a dive into the fish pond much to the disgust of our host but to the great enjoyment of our hostess. I never received another invite to that event.
On returning home after a couple of days, I returned from the fields to find Diane with a pair of knickers in her hand. She was fairly blunt asking, “Where the hell did these come from?” Seemingly our good and loyal female housemaid, Rosie, had found them in my laundry from the trip and therefore, Diane rightly assumed they were from my suitcase, although I was totally unaware of their source. At this stage, I should point out that these knickers would have been more appropriately worn by Queen Victoria during her dotage, rather than for a nubile young lady. Obviously, during my travels someone slipped them into my suitcase as a joke, Diane took it as such mainly due to their size. She figured I may have been drunk, but not that drunk. Joe and Wendy were in complete denial of any knowledge of them so in my memory they remain ‘the stray pair of knickers’. Shortly afterwards, I bought Diane her first Mazda 323 car. Joe said it was penance for the knickers, I can assure you it was not.
Disclaimer: Copyright Peter McSporran. The content in this blog represents my personal views and does not reflect corporate entities.
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