THE Comment in the Herald of March 18 regarding the RBZ’s Farm Mechanisation Programme audit attempts to convince us that a course of action is being taken to reveal the extent and depth of the abuse and corruption in the distribution of the Farm Mechanisation equipment.
The Comment does not indicate the corrective action to be taken by the authorities after the audit to ensure that the farmers who applied for the equipment and were prejudiced are provided with the farm mechanisation equipment which they urgently require to replace their dilapidated machinery.
An audit of the programme must not be carried out by RBZ staff because of their direct involvement and corrupt distribution of the equipment. For the RBZ to audit its programme is like requesting an accountant to audit his/her own books of accounts.
I am one of those farmers who were prejudiced. I submitted to the RBZ documents such as a letter of offer of land, GMB delivery receipts, and supporting documents from the governor’s office which indicated that I was one of the most productive farmers in the district.
All this proved to be irrelevant in the allocation of the equipment by RBZ.
A number of farmers around me have been beneficiaries of the RBZ equipment. They are full time employees in Harare and other areas. They do not live on the farm. I am a full time farmer residing on the farm 365 days of the year. Over and above the application I made several follow up trips to the RBZ but all was in vain.
Taruza, Marondera. Â
