VICE-PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa’s presentation on command
agriculture in cabinet last week, in which he lobbied for the renewal of the
programme and an intensified deployment of the military to support it, was
rejected during the meeting, the Zimbabwe Independent has established.
This comes as President Robert Mugabe and Mnangagwa’s
fallout deepens with the veteran leader launching more incendiary attacks on
his deputy this week. Attacks on the vice-president are expected to escalate at
the Zanu PF youth interface rally in Bulawayo tomorrow.
Command agriculture is a government scheme initially aimed
at producing two million tonnes of maize on 400 000 hectares of land, using
farmers identified and given inputs, irrigation and mechanised equipment for
the purpose.
Sources told the Independent that Mnangagwa last Tuesday in
cabinet said the programme had gone very well and must be renewed. He argued
Zimbabwe is set to yield 2,1 million metric tonnes of maize, a figure above the
1,8 million tonnes national consumption, hence the need to continue to
financially and logistically support the programme.
It is also understood security services chiefs, who include
Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander General Constantino Chiwenga, army boss
Lieutenant-General Phillip Valerio Sibanda, Zimbabwe Republic Police
Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri, Prisons and Correctional Services chief
retired Major-General Paradzai Zimondi and acting Central Intelligence
Organisation director-general Aaron Nhepera, attended the meeting.
“In that meeting, security services chiefs were given a
special dispensation to attend the cabinet meeting. After the presentation,
some ministers in Mnangagwa’s camp supported him, saying the programme would
boost grain output and enhance food security. However, his G40 rivals expressed
reservations on the proposals and programme, saying it was costly and has been hijacked
for political purposes,” a source said.
Chiwenga, sources said, supported Mnangagwa and called for
the deployment of additional soldiers to boost capacity and logistical support
for the programme, while his colleagues, particularly Chihuri, were uncomfortable
about it.
“This was rejected by G40 ministers such as Saviour
Kasukuwere who questioned the involvement of the military.
Other security chiefs such as Chihuri were also
uncomfortable. Ministers asked why the military needs to spearhead the programme
instead of letting the Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant ministries.
After the debate, Mnangagwa’s presentation was rejected,” the source added.
In July, the International Monetary Fund warned the
government on the command agriculture programme, saying excessive public
spending on the project could balloon the country’s domestic debt. This was
contrary to official claims that the private sector had financed the programme.
IMF deputy director of strategy, policy and review, Alfred
Kammer, told a media briefing in July that the funding structure of agriculture
could widen the budget overrun.
“In terms of the funding model that you asked about and the
breadbasket concept, we focus on the fiscal implications of the agriculture
programme in Zimbabwe,” he said while responding to a question. “Our analysis
suggests that the current design of the programme creates significant fiscal
risks and overall effectiveness could be improved by ensuring that the
beneficiaries are those most in need.”
Kammer said Zimbabwe would record economic growth this year
due to improved rain, but warned this was not sustainable.
“The main finding regarding Zimbabwe is that growth in 2017
will be boosted by the bumper harvest due to exceptional rainfall,” he said.
“The challenge really is to sustain growth in Zimbabwe.
This will require timely action to reduce the deficit to a sustainable level
and reforms to attract investment.
“Excessive government spending, if continued, could
exacerbate a cash scarcity, further jeopardise the external and financial
sectors, and ultimately, fuel inflation in Zimbabwe.”
In May this year, Mnangagwa and Vice-President Phelekezela
Mphoko — the two remaining liberation struggle stalwarts in government besides
Mugabe and a few others — fiercely clashed in cabinet over the command
agriculture project and the official economic blueprint, ZimAsset. Higher and
Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo, who together with Mphoko are in the
G40 faction, has said command agriculture has largely been a failure as it has
used US$500 million to contract 247 035 hectares of which 191 124ha (77%) were
tilled, while only 153 102,6% (61%) were actually planted.
Zimbabwe has since 2001 relied on imports and foreign
donors to meet demand for maize. Drought, lack of financing and the
after-effects of the chaotic land reform programme which resulted in white
commercial farmers losing large swathes of land have led to a decline in
agricultural output over the years. Zimbabwe independent
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