Addressing villagers in the Chinyamukwakwa area of
Chisumbanje, Chipinge, over the weekend while handing over 250 plots from
ethanol producer, Green Fuel to villagers, Masuka told villagers that they
would receive free farming inputs, but stressed that the inputs were on
condition that they vote for Zanu PF’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
“Right now we see the rains are coming and we are busy
ensuring that we organise and provide all inputs for you on time. That is what
we call Rural Development 8.0 so that you will be able to get the inputs on
time. The electoral campaign period is
still way ahead. I am not a campaign manager, but let me try it here. When you
are given these agricultural inputs, you must think of one person in your mind
— and that is the person who has given you the inputs — President [Emmerson
Mnangagwa]. When you are given goats, think deeply of the person who has
remembered you — you must return the favour and remember him too in 2023,”
Masuka said.
Vote-buying, especially in the rural areas, is seen as one of the rigging
mechanisms used to sway votes in favour of the ruling Zanu PF party during
elections.
Masuka also told the villagers that Zanu PF legislators had
been given the mandate to oversee the distribution of government farming
inputs.
His justification was that the inputs are from government,
and Zanu PF forms government.
“I now want to speak on the issue of Members of Parliament
(MPs). We had a situation whereby the inputs disappeared before they got to the
beneficiaries. So the MPs should be witnesses during distribution to oversee
it. This is because these inputs come from Zanu PF, which is the ruling party
that forms government, and government acts on what Zanu PF says. So, the party
must not be excluded,” he added.
On several occasions, Zanu PF has been accused of
politicising agricultural inputs and food aid. This has often happened during
electoral periods as it canvasses for support.
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Opposition supporters have been victims by reportedly being
denied food aid and government farm inputs.
This is despite that section 136(1) of the Electoral Act
prohibits politicians from giving voters freebies to induce them to vote or
refrain from voting.
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) spokesperson Jasper
Mangwana requested questions in writing, but had not responded to them at the
time of going to print.
Zimbabwe Peace Project executive director Jestina Mukoko
said it was unfair that villagers were being commandeered to vote for a
particular party through use of State resources.
“It is against the Electoral Act. Politicians need to be
reminded that they must follow humanitarian standards in distributing food aid
or presidential inputs. The President also needs to be reminded that the money
to secure presidential inputs does not come from his pockets, it’s from State
funds, hence must be distributed fairly to every citizen who is eligible
regardless of political affiliation. The
issue of politicisation of farming inputs and food aid has left villagers
vulnerable and women in a more difficult situation.”
Meanwhile, Masuka also exposed Zanu PF’s plot to pamper
village heads and chiefs with more provisions under presidential schemes such
as cotton, goat, poultry, community fisheries and climate-proof input schemes,
among others.
“You will be given enough fertilisers and other inputs for
three plots. Village heads are in the
distribution committees because they will know all of you. We will give village
heads more than everyone else — for seven plots, because long back when there
was drought, the village heads would assist those who would be starving. The
headmen will also be given inputs for nine plots while the chief will get
inputs for eleven plots. Don’t think that these have been favoured, we have all
been given by President ED,” Masuka told the Chipinge villagers. Newsday
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