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Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa

Zvamaida Murwira, Harare Bureau
FINANCE and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa, yesterday slammed Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo over his attacks on Government’s Command Agriculture Programme equating him to a barking dog that would not stop the programme.

Minister Chinamasa said this during the National Assembly’s question and answer session, while responding to a question from Zvimba West legislator Cde Ziyambi Ziyambi (Zanu-PF) on why the Government was not pulling in one direction over Command Agriculture.

Harare East legislator Cde Terrence Mukupe (Zanu-PF), had also asked Minister Chinamasa to clarify on funding of Command Agriculture given that some Government Ministers, especially Prof Moyo, were going on social media to attack the programme despite them being part of deliberations in Cabinet.

“The fact that some people are not in agreement is a non event when the programme is moving well. Varikutaura imbwa dziri kuhukura,” (those talking are barking dogs) said Minister Chinamasa in apparent reference to Prof Moyo who has relentlessly slammed the Government food initiative on his Twitter Account. Prof Moyo has been using social media to denigrate the programme calling it “command ugly culture” despite him being one of the beneficiaries at his farm in Mashonaland Central province.

He reportedly approached The Standard newspaper last week with a story attacking Command Agriculture, VP Mnangagwa and the programme’s financier, Sakunda Holdings, and reportedly assisted in the editing of the story.

Commander Zimbabwe Defence Forces General Constantino Chiwenga, war veterans and political analysts have called for Prof Moyo’s censure and urged him to resign if he does not agree with Government policies.

Minister Chinamasa said financial institutions that were initially reluctant to fund the programme, had already started coming on board, giving more credence to the programme.

“Following the success of that programme, we have begun to see commercial banks coming into play because these inputs must be paid up-front. Sakunda Holdings has started working with these commercial banks which are CBZ, Barclays and another one. Those who fail to repay would jeorpadise their chances of getting support in future,” said Minister Chinamasa.

He said the programme had exceeded Government expectations despite some challenges that were faced.

The latest crop assessment has revealed that over four million tonnes of food crops were harvested against national consumption of three million tonnes.
Chitungwiza North National Assembly Mr Godfrey Sithole (MDC-T), asked what criteria was used to select Sakunda.

In response, Minister Chinamasa said any person or financial institution prepared to lend Government money at less than five percent interest rate and willing to be repaid after one year was free to participate.

“We are going to support 1,8 million household. We will also be going on command fishery, livestock among others, soya-beans among others,” said Minister Chinamasa.

He said he had established a unit in his Ministry to study the reports from Auditor General and determine how to respond to recommendations.

He was responding to questions from Glen Norah MP Mr Webster Maondera (MDC-T), on why there was no action being taken against State entities that violated corporate governance procedures.

“I prefer that we get a draft of the Auditor’s report and then we can comment. We did not have the apparatus to read the report. It was only pressure from the public accounts committee that we put up a unit to study the report,” said Minister Chinamasa.