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.
The white Zimbabweans who are left in the country – estimated at around 30,000 – would usually vote MDC or for another opposition party, given the strained relationship with Mnangagwa’s ruling ZANU-PF.
But Mnangagwa, a 75-year-old former Mugabe ally, has pledged to fix racial divisions and end the violent seizure of white-owned commercial farms, a policy that Mugabe said was intended to redress post-colonial imbalances.
“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.”
Mnangagwa is hoping to revive a once promising economy, end chronic cash shortages and bring down soaring unemployment. In order to do this he needs the help of Western donors who want to see the issue of white-owned land addressed.
Many of the white Zimbabweans in the albeit partisan crowd saw Mnangagwa’s fig leaf as a major turning point.
“He’s recognising everyone as the same. We’re all one now, which is beautiful,” said mining engineer Cais Carstens.
“This has never happened before, so it’s good.”
Opponents dismissed the event as a publicity stunt backed by people with political and financial interests.
“I’m not surprised. You have to look at where this took place,” said David Coltart, an MDC senator.
“There are some very wealthy whites there who have long established connections with ZANU. It’ll be the community who have business connections.”
Mr Mnangagwa is favourite to win the poll, but analysts say he also has enemies – both for overthrowing his former mentor and for being a previous enforcer of Mr Mugabe’s government.
The main opposition leader is Nelson Chamisa, 40, a lawyer and preacher who rose to the top of the MDC in February.
He is hugely popular, especially among the young and unemployed, and would become the country’s youngest ever president if elected.
The youth vote is expected to be key. More than half of Zimbabweans are now under 25 and about 43.5% of registered voters are under 35.
