Zanu PF big wig sucked in farm inputs fraud

ZANU-PF Central Committee member Absolom Sikhosana was on Thursday detained overnight by angry farmers, while national director for youth affairs Tapiwa Zengeya was force-marched from the Willowvale industrial area to the party's headquarters as farmers demonstrated against a company jointly-owned by Zanu-PF youth wing and Lasch Investment for failing to deliver inputs.

Over 15 000 farmers might have been duped of varying amounts of money they contributed to the company with the promise that they would get farming inputs this season.

Sikhosana confirmed spending the whole night on Thursday detained by farmers at Cold Storage Company, before Zengeya was detained after coming to rescue his colleague.

Said Sikhosana: "I was detained by farmers on Thursday night after I had gone to explain the situation. Farmers said I was supposed to spend the night under harsh conditions so that I could understand their plight. When I tried to drive away, the farmers mobbed my car and blocked me until 4am," he said.

"We cannot pay back farmers their money. The project relies on membership subscriptions and have since been exhausted. All along the management was trying to get support but it has not materialised. The scheme is unable to provide inputs because it has run out of money," he said.

Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba, yesterday confirmed that the farmers reported a fraud case, while Sikhosana reported a kidnapping case.

"Police are investigating a fraud case while Sikhosana made a kidnapping report," she said last night.

The $2,4 billion input scheme was launched in July by former Zanu-PF secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa with Economic Planning Minister, Simon Khaya Moyo, blessing the first distribution of the inputs at the Cold Storage Company premises in Harare.

Zengeya was detained till late last night yesterday at the party headquarters as farmers refused to release him.

They wanted either to be given the inputs or their money back paid as joining fees and insurance cover.

The angry farmers said they had been waiting for the inputs from Lasch Investments for the past three months, but the management kept on giving empty promises.

Some farmers had been camping at the company's headquarters at the Cold Storage Company premises, waiting for the inputs while the company officials kept on changing goal posts.

Farmers complained that Lasch Investments management had bought cars and expensive phones using their money.
Farmers said Lasch Investments had taken farmers for a ride by using ruling party's name to dupe them.

Zengeya, who is the co-director of the Joint venture, yesterday confirmed that Lasch Investments had bought cars with the money paid by farmers.

Zengeya said Lasch Investments was still in the process of pursuing a $3 million loan from CBZ bank and the company had approached the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanization and Irrigation Development for a guarantee.

Made had raised concern over the input scheme after many farmers had registered their discontent with the company for failing to deliver.