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Victor Maphosa recently in Mutoko

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa on Thursday warned corrupt Agritex officers who deliberately omit names of qualifying villagers, excluding them from benefiting from Government’s Pfumvudza Input scheme.

The President’s remarks come after widespread allegations that some families had not been receiving inputs because some officers did not write down their names for unknown reasons.

While small-scale farmers must qualify for Pfumvudza inputs by successfully completing the training and land preparation, Agritex staff must then certify all who qualify and who all are entitled to inputs.

The President made the remarks while addressing hundreds of farmers in Mutoko where he was commissioning the Tabudirira Fruit and Vegetables Processing hub.

“The duty of Agritex officer is to replicate all that we as Government would have said and they are not to introduce their own laws. I heard that on Pfumvudza inputs, they deliberately leave other people who are eligible to benefit.

“Kana pane mudhumeni ari pano chera chikomba upfire mate uti kubva nhasi, kubva nhasi, ndofamba negwara reHurumende yeSecond Republic. Asi ukaramba wakagarwa nemweya waRigioni, tokupfaura tosiya vanotevedzera mutemo wedu.

“No one should be left behind on Pfumvudza. Aita makomba ake, chikamu chimwe, zvitatu kana zvishanu, vese vana vedu, vese imhuri ngavanyorwe vagopiwa mbeu. These seeds do not belong to these officers. It is from the Government and it should be given freely. So officers are supposed to work for the Government and implement all that we had planned,” he said.

Government has acquired motorcycles for the officers to enable them execute their duties smoothly.

“We bought them tools of trade in the form of motorcycles so that they can be mobile and expedite their duties, visiting farmers quickly. We gave them five thousand motorcycles and more are coming. So after giving them these tools of trade I expect them to work properly. They should not leave any one behind. Everyone should benefit.”

The President also talked about the sanctions, which have been imposed by the West on Zimbabwe.

“Going forward, you are all aware that we have over two decades now under sanctions invited by MDC. However, we are saying, we will not continue to cry. No. We are now saying, God in Heaven is the one who put us in this land, he is the one who is going to bless us for this nation to prosper.

“What is needed are three things, the land, which can bring peace within our nation if we use it productively through agricultural activities. It is underneath this land that there are other valuables that we can use to assist us as a nation.

“If one has land, what then is left is for the availability of people. In that regard, there are people in this country. What then is required are the rains, which if they come we will do our agricultural activities and we will be food secure as a nation.

“After selling our produce, we buy machinery so that we teach our children a lot of skills and our nation will prosper. I am on record, always, saying Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo. The British built Britain, the Japanese built Japan, the French built France while Russians built Russia.

“If you hear someone saying people in Mutoko are the ones who built America, do not listen to that, unless if it is said they were being used in America to build America.

“For us to successfully build our nation, we must have peace, unity and respect for one another. We should also not forget our cultural and traditional values. As Government we are here to see that there is development everywhere,” he said.

The President assured the nation that by 2024, Zimbabwe would be generating electricity enough for the entire country and for export.