MDC set to sanction MPs named in farm inputs scandal

MDC set to sanction MPs named in farm inputs scandal

• Feudalism: the real problem with Zimbabwe's agriculture

• Zanu PF councillor, senator busted over inputs scam

• Renson Gasela: Zimbabwe faces food deficit in 2010

• 'Your people will stone you on the streets' - what Cook told Mudenge

• Court says Zim wrong to take over German company's farm

• Mugabe says tribunal ruling on white farmers 'exercise in futility'

• Zimbabwe rejects ruling on white farms

• SADC tribunal rules 78 white farmers can keep their land

• Zimbabwe wants Britain to compensate white farmers

• Kudakwashe Marazanye: More black casualties in Mugabe's ego fight with whites

• Renson Gasela: Zimbabwe's dilemma - growing food for people or cars?

• White farmer gets suspended sentence, ordered off farm

• Makoni warns farm grabbers of 'gnashing of teeth'

• Zimbabwe farmer loses fight, faces eviction

• African tribunal deals blow to Zim land seizures

• Supreme Court gives nod to farm equipment seizures

• Mugabe vows to shame land redistribution critics

• Joram Nyathi: Propaganda has its limits

• Gasela: Zimbabwe must brace for food deficit next year

• Bleak future for farmers as Agric Show opens

• Zimbabwe arrests two white farmers

• Zim serves eviction notices on last few white farmers

• Paul Boateng: Zimbabwe broke land deal

• Mutambara: Clumsy Zanu PF propaganda on farms

Posted to the web: 09/02/2009 00:26:51
THE Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is set to commence disciplinary hearings against seven MPs accused of abusing a government scheme to support new farmers through the allocation of farm inputs.

Zimbabwean authorities last week named the seven alongside two Zanu PF legislators as involved in the corruption.

"We would want the legislators to come forward and explain themselves so that we act decisively on anyone found guilty of misappropriating government inputs," MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said Sunday.

"We have no sacred cows in terms of corruption in our party and no matter how senior you are in the party, we will deal with you accordingly.”

The threat of sanction against the MPs could see them lose out on cabinet appointments in a power sharing government later this week. Evelyn Masaiti, one of the seven accused legislators, was hotly tipped to be named in Morgan Tsvangirai’s cabinet nominees.

The other implicated MPs are Ramsome Makamure (Gutu East), Edmore Mudavanhu (Zaka North), Hega Shoko (Bikita West), Edmore Marima (Bikita East), Tichaona Maradza (Masvingo West) and Hamandishe Maramwidze (Gutu North).

Chivi South MP Ivene Dzingirayi and Seke-Chikomba Senator Gladys Mabhiza were the two Zanu PF officials publicly outed last week by the chairman of the logistics sub-committee of the National Resource Mobilisation and Utilisation Committee, Brigadier-General Douglas Nyikayaramba.

Nyikayaramba said all the nine MPs received 20 tonnes of Compound D fertilizer, enough to cover 80ha, and at least 1 tonne of maize seed while one had an extra tonne of seed and diesel while two others received in addition 10 tonnes of Ammonium Nitrate.

Masaiti received 10 tonnes of ammonium nitrate on top of the other inputs, but planted just 6ha and could not account for the rest of the inputs, Nyikaramba said.

Mabhiza is said to have two tonnes of seed and 1 500 litres of diesel, but did not plant anything and could not account for the inputs while Dzingirayi - MP Chivi South - was given his allocation which he misused.

Mudavanhu planted about 5ha and could not account for the remainder while Makamure planted 12 hectares and could also not account for the remainder.

Shoko who beat musician Elias Musakwa in the Bikita West elections last March is said to have planted 10ha and cannot account for the other inputs while Marima planted 5ha and allegedly used the other inputs to campaign in his constituency.

Nyikayaramba said Maradza planted 20 hectares while the other seed, enough to plant 20 hectares, was given to people in his constituency to fulfil his campaign promises.

Maramwidze got Compound D fertilizer, one tonne of maize seed and 10 tonnes of Ammonium Nitrate, but could not account for all the inputs while Masaiti got 10 tonnes of Ammonium Nitrate but planted just 6ha and could not account for the remaining inputs.

Police say they have completed investigations into the corruption and will soon press charges against the legislators.

The National Food Security Programme was put in place to support farmers, many of them newly-resettled under a controversial land reform programme executed by President Robert Mugabe’s government since 2000.
JOIN THE DEBATE ON THIS ARTICLE ON THE NEWZIMBABWE.COM FORUMS
newsdesk@newzimbabwe.com