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Cde Grace Mugabe

Richard Muponde, Gwanda Correspondent
Farming equipment distributed by the First Lady Cde Grace Mugabe to irrigations in Gwanda District has not reached the intended beneficiaries raising the ire of beneficiaries.

This is despite the fact that the farming season is already at an advanced stage.

Cde Mugabe distributed the equipment over a month ago to a number of irrigation schemes in Matabeleland South. The equipment was sourced by the government from Brazil under the $38 million loan facility of More Food for Africa programme.

However, some irrigation schemes in Gwanda district are still to receive the equipment which they were supposed to use in preparing their plots this farming season.

This comes against reports that the intended beneficiaries have not been given documents indicating what equipment they are supposed to receive.

The district’s subcommittee on infrastructure and equipment made the revelations at a Rural District Development Committee meeting held at Gwanda Rural District Council chambers yesterday.

According to the report, Mankonkoni and Rustlers Gorge Irrigation Schemes are yet to receive some of their equipment used for ploughing and spraying.

The revelation raised the ire of councillor of the area, Thompson Makhalima of Ward 19, who said he was hearing it for the first time that they were supposed to get the government-sourced farming equipment as no inventory had been given to the beneficiaries.

He said the failure by government officials in the district to include the local leadership in distributing the equipment resulted in the whole process being shrouded in secrecy.

Councillor Makhalima said there was a lack of accountability among the distributing team.

“If the equipment is coming to the ward they should bring inventories which they give to the beneficiaries so that they know what they are getting.

It’s my first time to hear that we are supposed to receive this equipment.

For example,  at Rustlers Gorge they just came and dumped tractors and farmers have already distributed the tractors to each other without knowing how the process was done,” said Clr Makhalima.

The house, however, resolved that when such equipment is distributed, government officials should do so through the local leadership.

The First Lady distributed the farm equipment on December 2 last year at a rally at Maphisa Business Centre where she also distributed, among other things, groceries.

She was touring all the 10 provinces meeting the people and hearing their concerns as First Lady and Secretary of the Zanu-PF Women’s League.