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Fungai Lupande Mash Central Bureau
The Minister of State for Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs, Advocate Martin Dinha, yesterday launched this year’s Presidential Inputs Scheme at Bare Shopping Centre, Chiweshe in Mazowe North. The programme now boasts almost two million beneficiaries. In previous years the programme benefited 800 000 households but this year the number has risen to 1 800 000.

The province has already received 4 418 tonnes of basal fertiliser, 1 458 tonnes top dressing fertiliser, 1 195 tonnes of maize seed and 812 tonnes soyabean seed. Addressing beneficiaries, Adv Dinha said this year, management of the programme had been turned over to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) since the provincial Agritex officers were busy with Command Agriculture.

“The inputs came at the right time, on the onset of the rain season. These inputs are not coming from me but from President Mugabe and the First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe,” said Adv Dinha.

“He is our candidate for next year’s elections and although he is in Harare, he is thinking about you. What more do you want? You want him to come to your homes and carry you on his back and go to your fields?” asked Adv Dinha to the amusement of the beneficiaries. Adv Dinha urged councillors and the selecting committee to be transparent in distributing the inputs.

“President Mugabe is giving the inputs to the whole country. The programme, running for five years, has increased from 800 000 to 1 800 000 households, meaning beneficiaries have doubled from last year,” he said.

“Everyone should get 10kg of maize seed and soyabean seed, a 50kg bag of basal fertiliser and top dressing. These are enough for half an acre and you get 20 bags. Report those involved in corruption and the selecting committee should be fair and include not only their families and friends. Please don’t demand money for the transportation of these inputs from the beneficiaries. A dollar means a lot and it is mostly for the grinding mill. When a person comes to collect on behalf of a beneficiary, don’t send them away because it is not useful for them to follow up at depots.” Turning to calls for his expulsion from Zanu-PF, Adv Dinha said suc callls were null and void as only President Mugabe had the power to expel him.

“In politics there is hatred, backbiting and people who want positions. I was appointed by the President and he is the only one who can expel me. They (the people) can only use witchcraft on me,” he said. On Sunday Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration warned provinces against firing or suspending members willy-nilly insisting this should be done through the party’s disciplinary channels. A villager, Mr Friday Rupenga, thanked President Mugabe for the inputs which he said would be enough for his family as well as surplus produce for sale
“May the President continue with the programme because not many of us are able to buy these inputs,” he said.