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President Mugabe shares a lighter moment with Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa before addressing delegates at the ongoing Zanu PF16th Annual National People’s Conference in Masvingo yesterday. – (Picture by Believe Nyakudjara)

From George Maponga in MASVINGO—

Zanu-pf has issued a strong warning against abuse of inputs supplied to thousands of farmers by Government under the Command Agriculture Scheme, saying those caught on the wrong side of the law will be prosecuted.Ruling party Vice President and Second Secretary Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday said Government would descend heavily on those caught abusing inputs under the scheme which seeks to make Zimbabwe both food secure and a net food exporter.

Cde Mnangagwa is overseeing implementation of the US$500 million scheme that seeks to produce two million tonnes of maize on about 400 000 hectares of land this summer cropping season.

Read more:

• VP warns Command Agric inputs abusers
• EDITORIAL COMMENT : Cut sticky fingers in Command Agric
• Command Agric abusers warned

Under the scheme, Government has assisted thousands of farmers close to water sources with agricultural inputs and fuel to grow maize on a cost recovery basis.

Addressing delegates at the zanu-pf 16th Annual National People’s Conference here, and moving a motion for delegates to take note of President Mugabe’s earlier keynote address, Cde Mnangagwa said: “Those who abuse inputs given to them by Government under Command Agriculture will be arrested and prosecuted. The scheme was introduced on a cost recovery basis so beneficiaries will have to pay back.”

The VP said targets set under the Zim-Asset economic blueprint could only be achieved if peace, unity and hard, honest work were the order of the day.

The conference is themed “Moving with Zim-Asset in Peace and Unity”.

Cde Mnangagwa also warned senior zanu-pf leaders involved in corruption that they would be subject to stern action.

“As delegates, we applaud (President Mugabe’s) abhorrence of such vices and pledge to address them head-on. It is, therefore, integral that all members of the party — irrespective of status — desist from this retrogressive behaviour and lead by example.

“The party and Government will not hesitate to take necessary measures against perpetrators of this vice. We should remember that mushonga unovava ndiwo unorapa.”

Cde Mnangagwa challenged the ruling party to lead mobilisation of Zimbabweans to embrace value addition and produce enough food for the country to feed itself.

He hailed President Mugabe for clarifying the interpretation of the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act, a development he said was poised to boost market confidence while reducing the cost of doing business.

Policies such as Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016, said Cde Mnangagwa, created opportunities for people to venture into manufacturing and value addition.