tion rigging strategies to be rolled out by the regime – expected to kick off in the coming fortnight.
It has been established that 500 000 scotch carts and 800 000 ox-drawn ploughs are already awaiting delivery to rural constituencies across the country, having been manufactured mainly in Harare and Bulawayo.
In addition, unconfirmed information from Zanu (PF) insiders is to the effect that the regime also plans to bribe the electorate through giving every chief 10 head of cattle.
Agriculture Engineering and Mechanisation minister, Joseph Made, and minister without portfolio, Elliot Manyika are preparing to spearhead the campaign through distribution of the implements.
Manyika told The Zimbabwean this week: “we cannot reveal how we are going to contest the elections until the time comes, but we will obviously show people why they should vote for Zanu (PF)”.
An official at Hastt Zimbabwe, operating from Norton, said: “Well, I cannot identify myself but can confirm that there are scotch carts and ploughs that are here and still being completed which are part of a government order. I cannot reveal the numbers.”
Zanu (PF) structures are already preparing for the distribution of the scotch carts, ploughs and cattle in Mashonaland Central Province.
“The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has already made the funds available for the acquisition of the implements as well as cattle – estimated to be in excess of Z$3 trillion,” a source said, intimating that the money had simply been printed by the central bank.
Efforts to obtain comment from central bank chief Gideon Gono were unsuccessful as it was variously claimed that he was out of the country as well as that he was busy this week.
The central bank about four months ago spent US$25 000 on purchasing tractors and other heavy duty farming implements distributed mainly to Zanu (PF) beneficiaries of the land reform programme but with already reports of some of them being turned into commuter transport in rural areas. – Itai Dzamara
Post published in: News