President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday failed to turn up
at a the highly-anticipated smart agriculture conference held in Mount Darwin,
which he had been expected to officiate for the past few months.
Mnangagwa had to assign Women Affairs, Gender and
Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development minister Sithembiso Nyoni
to represent him.
Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs minister Monica
Mavhunga had a torrid time reading her welcome speech which she said she had
prepared for Mnangagwa.
“We invited the President and he has come through his
representative Honourable Nyoni, our speech was prepared for his Excellence
since we were expecting him. So bear with me and I hope you take the message to
him,” she said.
In a speech read on his behalf, Mnangagwa said productivity
and utilisation of agricultural land has been hampered by climatic change and
inadequate skills among farmers.
“This conference is also timely in the context of the
unfolding concept of provincial economies, productivity and utilisation of
agricultural land has been hampered by the adverse effects of climate change,
inadequate skills among some of our farmers and constrained access to markets,”
Mnangagwa said.
“As government, we are accelerating the mechanisation and
modernisation of our agriculture. We are geared towards transforming the sector
through broadening access to agricultural finance and inputs, promoting
production and productivity growing of new seed varieties, enhancing extension
services and infrastructure as well as developing markets for our value-added
products to earn foreign currency.”
He castigated illegal settlers mushrooming around the
country and urged the Lands ministry to act immediately.
“I am, however, deeply concerned about the illegal
settlements which are mushrooming and adversely affecting land productivity,
peaceful co-existence of nature and the environment throughout the country,”
Mnangagwa said.
“This has also negatively affected water bodies as well as
grazing land. I, therefore, urge the Lands Agriculture, Water, Climate and
Rural Resettlement ministry to deal with this issue expeditiously.”
Mnangagwa in February also failed to attend his “Thank You
Rally” in Mashonaland Central after reports of a poor attendance despite Zanu
PF sweeping all legislative seats in the province.
Serious factionalism is reportedly brewing in the province
with war veterans calling for the dissolution the provincial leadership amid
reports of clashes between Mavhunga and chairperson Kazembe Kazembe. Newsday
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