Mugabe prepares list to receive farmland

Robert Mugabe has drawn up a list of loyal Zimbabweans, including a wealthy businessman who compared the president to Jesus, to be given white farmland.

About 100,000 black people are on the list of those scheduled to receive land seized by the government under its controversial ‘‘fast track’’ land reform programme.

The names included MPs and Mugabe loyalists.

The plan to redistribute farms to landless black people has been marred by the violent occupation of hundreds of farms by ruling party militants and has plunged Zimbabwe into a political and economic crisis.

The list identifies Zimbabweans who applied under a government programme offering parcels of land for commercial farming, and does not include squatters who have already resettled on former white-owned farmland.

About 20 million acres of farmland - about 95% of the farms owned by some 4,000 white farmers - are being nationalised.

Included among listed recipients is Tony Gara, a wealthy former deputy government minister who owns a chemicals business and a chain of hair salons.

Gara was censured by churches in Zimbabwe for comparing Mugabe to Jesus and describing him as ‘‘a son of God.’’

Several MPs, a government research scientist, two former broadcasters with the state radio station, an award-winning athlete from the national police force and six senior journalists with the state-run Herald newspaper are also among those on the list to receive farmland.

Joseph Chinotimba, a leader of a militant group that has organized scores of violent farm occupations, has defended his inclusion on the list land on the outskirts of Harare, saying: ‘‘I deserve it.’’

The government says applications were granted to those committed to retaining the productivity of seized land.

The Herald quoted Ivy Ncube one of it’s reporters who is scheduled to receive land said she was looking forward to ‘‘venture into tobacco farming.’’

’’I cannot believe I now have my own portion of land. What a wonderful way to begin a New Year,’’ she said.