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The bottom line is that Zimbabwe has a bumper crop this season, everything else is hollow noise from empty bottles

Bernard Bwoni Correspondent
Blank shots aimed at Government’s Special Maize Programme for Import Substitution, also known as Command Agriculture, are counterproductive and definitely not going to improve the already long suffering people’s misfortunes.

Yes very true, the case for freedom of speech and expression is evident and granted under our Constitution.

There is no written law anywhere that says Command Agriculture is immune to scrutiny or criticism.

That in fact is allowed and catered for in our inter and intra-party democracy.

It is however, reckless and careless for members of the same team to score a winning goal and then engage in fist fights as stylish celebrations.

There is something clearly wrong and counter-intuitive about the unabated attacks on the highly successful Command Agriculture Programme.

This is a Government success story not an individual achievement. This is a programme that is worthy lauding for it feeds the nation and keeps our silos full for tomorrow.

The public outrage by some senior ministers against Command Agriculture is worrisome to say the least.

The assumption is that this attack is rooted in some sort of altruism, a disinterested and selfless concern for Zimbabwe, but that is just too hard to believe when such a defining programme is given names like “Command Ugly-Culture”.

It would appear that this moral outrage against Command Agriculture is a mere function of self-interest, if not a destructive streak.

The assault on Command Agriculture by members of the team that came up with the idea is difficult at the same time easy to understand.

Are we playing games or there are genuine concerns or points against the programme rather than personal tantrums?

Who stands to benefit from the scathing attack against Command Agriculture? The bottom line is that Zimbabwe has a bumper crop this season. Everything else is hollow noise from empty bottles. There surely is nothing ugly about a fed nation.

This “command unpleasantness” towards the highly successful Command Agriculture is divisive and possibly devious. There is no other way of looking at it from where I am standing. Here is a programme that is clearly a component of the Food Security cluster of the Government’s ZIM-ASSET programme. The programme is bearing fruits and as members of the same team, there should be celebrations and a feeling of triumph.

But the only focus has been mud thrown at the programme. This does not make any sense one bit.

How does publicly throwing mud at each other going to address the issues that are pertinent to people’s everyday lives?

Why knock a successful Government initiative that has been the most successful in a long time?

This is very disappointing. Totally disheartening.

This is not to suggest that Cabinet ministers can’t express their opinions or displeasure against Command Agriculture, but the incessant public assault on the programme is clearly confusing.

Why not raise these concerns in Cabinet not via social media? The inconsistencies with which there is with Government does not bring any confidence or bode well with anyone looking to invest or do business in the country. Why partake in a programme you so loathe?

The inconsistency is blatant when President Mugabe was busy lauding the programme in Mutare last week when he addressed the youth, and the next day a Cabinet minister comes out publicly discrediting the programme.

What message is being conveyed here? It wouldn’t be far-fetched to conclude that is a rebellion against the President and the party surely.

If in disagreement with the Government programme, then surely why stay in the same Government that implements programmes that you are against? Why not raise these concerns up at Politburo or Central Committee level?

Why not tell the President directly that there is something untoward about Command Agriculture? Why not advise the President to stop praising the programme and misleading the nation by continuing to say Command Agriculture is a success story when it is not? This will definitely bring finality to the whole distorted and inconsistent proclamations surely.

If Command Agriculture is leading the country towards national self-sufficiency and food security, then even the opposition should be lauding the programme, let alone its implementers.

The opposition against Command Agriculture is not making any sense whatsoever.

It is apparent that Command Agriculture was endorsed by Cabinet, and that includes the two ministers named above.

The implementation phase came and none of these shenanigans were heard.

Now that the programme has started bearing fruits, this is when all the commotion starts.

This is what is causing the confusion and people coming up with all sorts of conclusions.

This needs to be addressed so that it does not continue to corrode the great work this Government is doing. ZANU-PF is that bigger picture built on the collective strength of the people.

The revolutionary ruling party is way bigger than insignificant and irrelevant personal squabbles.