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Nyemudzai Kakore Herald Correspondent
Government has assured the nation that no one will starve as the country has enough grain for the next 10 months, zanu-pf chief whip Cde Lovemore Matuke said. Cde Matuke said they have also been assured by Vice President Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa to kick-start the Command Agriculture programme, with Mashonaland Central being the first province to receive farming inputs and implements.
Cde Matuke was speaking after the party’s caucus in Harare yesterday where VP Mnangagwa, Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colonel (Retired) Christian Katsande, national political commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere and the Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Cde Joseph Made were in attendance.
“Vice President Mnangagwa appraised the party on the progress made so far on Command Agriculture with a detailed report to be tabled in the Politburo today. Farming inputs under the Command Agriculture and the Presidential Inputs Support Scheme are ready for collection from various suppliers across the country, with Mashonaland Central being the first recipient,” said Cde Matuke.
The Command Agriculture programme aims at raising maize production and reducing grain imports. Two million tonnes of maize on 400 000 hectares are expected to be produced.
Cde Matuke also said the Deputy Chief Secretary apprised them on the reasons why President Mugabe did not assent to the Special Economic Zones Bill.
He said President Mugabe had reservations on a clause which seeks to suspend the Labour Act whose effect would have exposed workers to serious abuse by employers.
“As the party, we want to thank President Mugabe for the observations he made regarding the Bill. Both houses had omitted serious issues and the deficiencies that were seen by the President need to be addressed by both houses,” he said.
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