ZANU PF proposes upward review of food relief Cde Patrick Chinamasa

Wallace Ruzvidzo Herald Reporter

ZANU PF has urged Government to set aside more funds to import grain in light of the impending drought which could be the worst ever in the history of Sadc.

Despite predictions of normal to above normal rainfall for the period October-November-December 2019 and normal to slightly below for January-February-March 2020 by climate experts, rains have generally been bad, raising fears of a devastating drought.

Further, the ruling party is working towards the rehabilitation of irrigation schemes as well as creating new ones.

In an interview with The Herald, acting secretary for administration Cde Patrick Chinamasa said it was important that Government exploits ways of cushioning the general populace from the looming drought.

He said the drought had dealt a major blow to the economy and Zanu-PF was concerned as servant leadership was its hallmark.

“The drought that the country is currently going through requires that Government put aside resources to import a lot of grain to feed the people. “There are challenges of course which are affecting people generally and when people are affected the party is affected and we are very much concerned because we have the interests of the people at heart, we are a people centered party,” said Cde Chinamasa.

He also said Zanu-PF was in the process of engaging relevant authorities to put in place and rehabilitate existing irrigation schemes to mitigate the drought’s impact as agriculture was key to the country’s economic turnaround.

He said the party would ensure the completion of dams under construction and reduce the siltation in those water bodies. “We are going to be agitating for the rehabilitation of existing irrigation schemes and start of new irrigation schemes to be put in place.

“We consider agriculture key to our economy. It is very central because most of the industries actually relate to agriculture in terms of manufacturing, any agricultural production is very important for the growth of the economy and other sectors of the economy,” he said.

Cde Chinamasa urged Government to ensure the environment is protected from degradation as this had contributed to climate change.

“We are going to be urging Government to give thought to environmental protection, we are seeing rampant environmental degradation whether from makorokoza or people farming at the source of our rivers.

“We would want to see as a party that Government is conscious of the need to protect our environment,” said Cde Chinamasa.

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