The Management of the Land and Resources of the Masoka community of Dande Communal Lands, Zimbabwe

Abstract

"According to the Masoka elders, this area belongs to the ancestors. Current inhabitants thus can only claim rights to the land and its resources through the ancestors. This process differs depending on the origins of the individual...

"However, the perception of the younger people of Masoka is that the government is the owner of the land and all its resources. The people of Masoka, as the users of these resources, are the proprietors and custodians of the resources. This proprietorship originates in the history of occupation of the area, including the Masoka Chieftainship. The natural resources of Masoka include the land, trees and grass, water (including rivers and pools), wildlife and the people. These resources are owned by the government, but bona fide residents of Masoka have exclusive rights to use these resources."