Shape up or ship out, Moyo told
PRESSURE continues to mount on embattled Zanu-PF Politburo member Professor Jonathan Moyo as the Midlands provincial youth executive have added their voice calling for his censure following his sustained attack on Government empowerment programme Command Agriculture.
Midlands Zanu-pf provincial youth secretary for administration Cde Justice Mayor Wadyajena said it was high time Prof Moyo, who is also Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, to shaped up or shipped out of the ruling party.
Cde Wadyajena, who is also Gokwe Nembudziya MP, said at the weekend at Kuwirirana Village, Gokwe North, while addressing villagers during a road-show by Cottco to raise awareness on the need to sell their produce to the State entity after they were given free Presidential inputs.
“President Mugabe has described Command Agriculture as beautiful but we still have Jonathan Moyo attacking it. President Mugabe has assigned Vice President (Emmerson) Mnangagwa to lead in its implementation but (Prof) Moyo has launched an attack on both the programme and VP Mnangagwa,” said Cde Wadyajena.
“Here in Midlands, we say action should be taken against him. He is a political turncoat. Remember he has been criticising Zanu-PF and its leadership while he was outside the party. He has continued to do this while in the ruling party. Jonathan Moyo should respect party leadership or action should be taken against him.”
Turning to the cotton produce, Cde Wadyajena implored farmers to sell their crops to Cottco since they were given free Presidential inputs.
He rapped Cottco for being inconsistent, as at one stage the firm told farmers that they would be paid $200 in cash for a minimum of three bales delivered but had reneged on their pledge in favour of mobile money transfer agencies.
“Another problem is that some farmers did not have mobile phones here in the rural areas. How are they supposed to access their money? As Cottco, you need to be consistent. Our farmers very much want to support you by bringing their produce, but you have not been consistent. You have complained that some farmers have not been selling produce to Cottco, you also need to ask yourself why, and address those issues,” said Cde Wadyajena.
He implored Cottco to establish ginneries in Gokwe to create jobs in the cotton-producing district as currently the crop was being taken to Sanyati for value addition.
Cottco managing director Mr Pious Manamike said they had created about 3 500 jobs at its several cotton buying centres in Gokwe.
“We have recruited people from the local areas and at least 3 500 jobs have been created. Our plea is that please bring your crops at Cottco and not side-market it,” said Mr Manamike.
Cottco has held several road-shows aimed at raising awareness among farmers to sell cotton to the State entity since they were beneficiaries of the Presidential Inputs Support Scheme.