Zimbabwe: President Robert Mugabe Calls Black Farmers Against Returning Land to White Farmers

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has called on the country's remaining white farmers to cede land to black people.  

Mr. Mugabe told his supporters at a rally that no white should own a land and insists that they must leave. 

The white farmers union said it is regrettable that racial tensions are flaring up again.

The president's critics say his policy of seizing most of Zimbabwe's white-owned farms caused the country's economic collapse from 2000-2009.

Media watchers describe Mr Mugabe's comments as surprising, as the governmentofficially ended its land reform programme about two years ago.

It appears that Mr Mugabe wants to deflect attention from Zimbabwe's economic crisis, especially worsening unemployment and the closure of firms.

Mr Mugabe's comments had caused anxiety among white farmers.

There are only between 100 and 150 white farmers left in Zimbabwe as several thousand of them were forced to abandon farming after the government launched a controversial land reform programme nearly 15 years ago.

Source: BBC