Press & Media Brief
Submission on Restorative Justice & Historical Treaty Violations – Lippert Concession (1891)
Submitted by: Princess Eugene Majuru, Princess of Harare, Mbari Clan
Date: 19 February 2026
Background
The Lippert Concession (1891) was a binding 100-year agreement between King Lobengula and German businessman Eduard Lippert covering the entirety of present-day Zimbabwe. Its violation and concealment by British colonial authorities, and later constitutional arrangements including the 1923 Constitution of Responsible Government, resulted in widespread dispossession, armed resistance (First and Second Chimurenga), and long-term structural violence, including Gukurahundi.
UK Government Engagement
Princess Eugene Majuru formally submitted documents to the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) on 24 January 2026, including:
Formal Position Paper
Annexes A–G (Supporting Evidence)
UK MP Briefing Note
The FCDO recently replied:
“The UK Government acknowledges the complex and often painful history the UK shares with Zimbabwe and the strength of feeling around the issues you describe. However, it would not be appropriate for the UK to intervene in domestic political matters in Zimbabwe. These issues are for you to raise with the Government of Zimbabwe.” – Africa Directorate, FCDO
This response reflects a lack of serious engagement with longstanding historical and legal obligations.
Current Action
Princess Eugene Majuru has:
Re-submitted a Follow-Up Letter to FCDO clarifying UK jurisdiction under British Crown authority.
Drafted a Parliament Petition calling for acknowledgment, inquiry, and reparative frameworks.
Submitted a UN Summary to the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The submission outlines clear historical, legal, and moral obligations, highlighting the UK’s continuing responsibility to address violations of the Lippert Concession.
Firm Position
Princess Eugene Majuru states:
“We will not rest until these issues are fully addressed. Recognition, accountability, and reparations are overdue, and the UK must engage constructively with this matter rather than dismiss it as a domestic issue for Zimbabwe.”
Key Points for Public and Parliamentary Awareness
Historical treaty violations under British colonial authority remain unresolved.
Long-term harm to Indigenous communities in Zimbabwe continues.
International law and human rights frameworks support reparative action (UNDRIP, ICCPR, African Charter).
Continued public and parliamentary pressure is necessary to achieve justice.
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