THIRD CHIMURENGA AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION IN ZIMBABWE

Abstract

This article focuses on how the white farmers responded to violent take-over of land. Having had a privileged status in society, the white farmers found themselves in a very fragile state as Third Chimurenga began. The violent take-over of land was spearheaded by war veterans. Images of white farmers who were beaten, killed, exiled and driven from their homes became synonymous with land invasions. Such events and acts of eviction became commonly referred to as Jambanja as more and more farmers suffered violent confrontations on their farms. The white farmers were portrayed as being in direct opposition to the government land distribution agenda that had given approval to the invasions and evictions. The article examine the effectiveness of Commercial Farmers Union in responding to the invasions, the new splinter groups and how they responded to the invasions and also the SADC tribunal petition by Mike Campbell. The article will also provide an analysis on how Jambanja spread and how it was carried out. Thus through reading library sources and literature in collections as well as carrying out interviews this article seeks to demonstrate that white farmers tried without much success to resist the sanctioned farm invasions. Ultimately the white farmers lost their prized possession that is the land. The article will highlight the dynamics of land politics in Zimbabwe. Keywords: Commercial Farmers Union, Implications, Jambanja, Land Politics, Third Chimurenga