Plural strategies of accessing land among peri-urban squatters

ABSTRACT

This paper discusses strategies utilized by migrants/squatters in accessing land for settlement and livelihoods in places where the state and the indigenes are not sympathetic to their needs. Although of significant policy and theoretical significance, this area has not received attention from scholarship, its dominant focus being on understanding the diverse origins, destinations, drivers and processes of migration. In addressing this issue, the study uses the case of Malawian migrants located in Zimbabwe’s peri-urban area of Norton. The finding of the paper is that there are as many strategies for acquiring land as they are migrants. The identified strategies (inheritance, seizures, and purchase) are contingent based – varying according to the access of the parties involved in the transactions.

KEYWORDS:

• Malawian migrants
• squatters
• Zimbabwe
• land access
• peri-urban

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Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Johannes Bhanye http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9658-7755

Notes

1 Interview with Robert Mwale at Lydiate Farm, 02 June 2018.

2 Interview with Rairo Tembo at Lydiate Farm, 16 June 2018.

3 Interview with Evangelisto Mudziwenyika at Lydiate Farm, 03 June 2018.

4 Interview with Jason Mahere at Lydiate Farm, 27 June 2018.

5 Interview with Eunice Malanga at Lydiate Farm, 23 June 2018.

6 Interview with Mrs. Magomba at Lydiate Farm, 04 June 2018.

7 Interview with Mr Tembo at Lydiate Farm, 20 December 2018.

8 Interview with Sifiso Chiga at Lydiate Farm, 15 August 2018.

9 Interview with Justice Mbewe at Lydiate Farm, 20 June 2018.

10 Interview with Mavis Phiri at Lydiate Farm, 20 June 2018.

11 Interview with Christine Mukwanda at Lydiate Farm, 28 June 2018.

12 Interview with Lyna Chiwaya at Lydiate Farm, 25 August 2018.

13 Interview with Robert Mwale at Lydiate Farm, 02 June 2018.

14 Interview with Mrs Nzunga at Lydiate Farm, 24 August 2018.

15 Interview with Mrs Nzunga at Lydiate Farm, 24 August 2018.

16 Interview with Mrs. Mashorokoto at Lydiate Farm, 25 August 2018.

17 Interview with Edna Macheke at Lydiate Farm, 21 June 2018.

18 Interview with Petro Banda at Lydiate Farm, 23 August 2017.

19 Interview with Petro Banda at Lydiate Farm, 23 August 2017.

20 Interview with Sifiso Chiga at Lydiate Farm, 15 August 2018.

21 Interview with Robert Mwale at Lydiate Farm, 02 June 2018.

22 Interview with Ruth Madala at Lydiate Farm, 29 June 2018.

23 Interview with William Paya at Lydiate Farm, 02 June 2018.

24 Interview with Petro Banda at Lydiate Farm, 23 August 2017.

25 Interview with Richard Tembo at Lydiate Farm, 05 June 2018.

26 Interview with Richard Tembo at Lydiate Farm, 05 June 2018.

27 Interview with Mr Tembo at Lydiate Farm, 20 December 2018.

28 Interview with Mr Mwale at Lydiate Farm, 02 June 2018.

29 Interview with Mariam Munemo at Lydiate Farm, 06 June 2018.

30 Interview with community leader Mrs. Zvinyenye at Lydiate Farm, 23 January 2018.

31 Interview with Cephas Waenda at Lydiate Farm, 04 January 2018.

32 Interview with community leader Mr Matambo at Lydiate Farm, 20 January 2018.

33 The Eastern Highlands is a region in Zimbabwe which stretches along the border between Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The area has more equitable climate than Zimbabwe’s central plateau, with high rainfall very suitable for pineapple and banana fruit plantations.

34 Interview with Cephas Waenda at Lydiate Farm, 04 January 2018.

35 Interview with Cephas Waenda at Lydiate Farm, 04 January 2018.

36 Interview with Cephas Waenda at Lydiate Farm, 04 January 2018.

37 Squatters in Lydiate Farm dream of eventually leaving the informal settlement to settle in the growing nearby town of Norton or eventually to the capital city of Zimbabwe, Harare, about 40km away from the squatter settlement. Interview with Community Leader Matambo at Lydiate Farm, 20 January 2018.

38 Interview with Petro Banda at Lydiate Farm, 23 August 2017.

39 Interview with Patience Muselema at Lydiate Farm, 23 June 2018.

40 Interview with Conoria Ruwizhi at Lydiate Farm, 02 June 2018.

41 Interview with Brighton Chimina at Lydiate Farm, 04 January 2018.

42 Interview with Mr Phiri at Lydiate Farm, 28 June 2018.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation under the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) Collaborative Ph.D. Program on ‘Mobility and Sociality in Africa’s Emerging Urban’.