ZIMBABWE: President appeals for racial unity ahead of election

Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has called for racial unity ahead of landmark elections, telling white farmers their lands will not be taken. Former President Robert Mugabe’s government supported the seizure of hundreds of white-owned farms which they saw as unfairly taken by settlers. But Mr Mnangagwa, 75, told a crowd in Harare that the controversial […]

Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has called for racial unity ahead of landmark elections, telling white farmers their lands will not be taken. Former President Robert Mugabe’s government supported the seizure of hundreds of white-owned farms which they saw as unfairly taken by settlers.

But Mr Mnangagwa, 75, told a crowd in Harare that the controversial policy was a thing of the past.

“We should cease to talk about who owns the farm in terms of colour,” he said. “It is criminal talking about that. A farmer, a black farmer, a white farmer, is a Zimbabwean farmer.”

Mr Mnangagwa’s move to ease the concerns of white voters comes ahead of historic elections on 30 July.