Harare, Zimbabwe
Private ownership of land will be abolished and all farms nationalized, the Zimbabwe government said this week. For the past two years, the government has been seizing white-owned farms and giving the land to poor blacks or, more often, to cronies of authoritarian President Robert Mugabe. Now, though, even blacks are prohibited from owning farms. Title deeds will be replaced by 99-year government leases. Political analysts said the move would worsen the drop in agricultural production brought on by the land seizures. “It is a very big step away from a market economy to a communist-style command economy,” said Zimbabwean economist John Robertson.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Do you have to pay taxes on student loan forgiveness?The Explainer As of 2026, some loan borrowers may face a sizable tax bill
-
Planning a move? Here are the steps to take next.the explainer Stay organized and on budget
-
What should you look out for when buying a house?The Explainer Avoid a case of buyer’s remorse
