Made 'works like a donkey' on Mugabe's farm

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By Lebo Nkatazo

AGRICULTURE Minister Joseph Made last Saturday slipped into overalls and "worked like a donkey" at President Robert Mugabe's farm in Norton, we can reveal.

Made, who has presided over diminishing national agricultural output, turned up at Mugabe’s Highfield Farm announced, sources said.

After arriving at the farm, Made "started rearranging everything" for the coming agriculture season.

A source revealed: “Everyone was surprised to see him turning up univited and without prior notice. He was pushing everyone around including the farm manager.

"After spending hours on the farm, he phoned the President to inform him that he had decided to go and work at the farm."

The source added: “He worked for free and worked like a donkey. He came prepared wearing an overall."

Government officials say this is not the first time that Made, an agricultural expert and former boss of the state-run Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda), has offered his services for free services to senior government officials.

Made, the sources said, has previously offered "agricultural expertise" to National Security Minister Didymus Mutasa and Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa.

Recently, Mugabe's spokesman George Charamba was forced to admit that Arda officials were diverting State resources to to help agricultural production on Mugabe's three farms.

Charamba also admitted that Made has devoted some of his personal time to helping on Mugabe's farms.

He said: "The Minister of Agriculture, Dr Joseph Made, himself an agricultural expert has, as and when he has found free time, freely assisted the First Family in certain specialised agricultural activities and areas.

"This expression of goodwill on his part is neither untoward nor a crime. It will continue to come the First Family's way for as long as the minister has the free time and will to give it."

Made was repeatedly said to be in meetings on Thursday and was unavailable to comment.
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