Zimbabwe farmers marketing tobacco. The production of the crop has increased in recent years due to the land redistribution program., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Farmers predict landslide victory for President
July 31, 2013
Herald Reporters
Farmers have predicted a landslide victory for President Mugabe in harmonised elections today.
Most farmers told The Herald yesterday that they were going to vote in huge numbers in support of President Mugabe who brought economic independence.
They said they were liberated in 1980 but got economic independence through land reform.
This saw many landless Zimbabweans getting farms in the fertile areas since they were restricted to sandy infertile soils during the colonial era.
Beatrice farmer Mr Nyasha Mutami said through the land reform he has been economically independent.
“I am now a successful tobacco farmer and have bought several assets through farming,” he said.
Most tobacco farmers said their lives have been transformed with most of them now able to send their children to better schools and building decent houses.
“My father used to work for the white farmers but he had nothing to show for the long years he worked. I have been producing tobacco for less than five years but here I am, successful and am now looking forward to buying farm machinery,’ he said.
Zimbabwe Indigenous Women Farmers Association Trust Mrs Depinah Nkomo said President Mugabe empowered women through the land reform.
“Majority of farmers are women who are doing well. Women can now own land, have the land registered in our names and have the freedom to make decisions on the farm. I choose what I want to grow and what I want to do with the money which was not the case before independence,” she said.
Mrs Nkomo said voting for the MDC was reversing the gains of the liberation struggle.
According to the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board more than 91 100 farmers are producing tobacco.
More than 82 percent of these growers are small-scale growers who benefited from the land reform programme.
The growing sector is almost 98, 9 percent indigenised with many women and youths now empowered as they can successfully participate in the tobacco due to the land reform.
Meanwhile, some Zanu-PF supporters have expressed confidence in today’s election saying President Mugabe and the party would win resoundingly because of its sound policies on indigenisation and land redistribution.
A snap survey carried by The Herald yesterday proved that supporters ranging from liberation war heroes, aliens, youths and the elderly were confident that they have done enough ground work to win people’s vote in today’s election.
National deputy secretary general for the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Collaborators Association Cde Charles Gawu said today’s election is a Zanu-PF election.
Cde Gawu likened today’s election with the rising of Mbuya Nehanda.
“We have been waiting for this day to come. To us it is a big day because it represents the rising of Mbuya Nehanda from the dead. Zanu-PF’s bones are rising from the dead tomorrow,” he said.
Candidate for Harare West, Cde Varaidzo Mupunga also expressed confident that she would win in today’s election.
“I am urging all youths of Zimbabwe to rally behind all youths candidates contesting in this election. For me, I already see a landslide victory,” Cde Mupunga said.
Another candidate for Kuwadzana, Cde Betty Kaseke, said if the people are going to vote in their numbers the way they have been supporting her in her rallies, she will definitely win today’s election.
Chitungwiza resident Mr Tinashe Chapeta further urged all people to observe peace and accept the results of the election.
He urged whichever party wins the election to look seriously into the needs of the people of Zimbabwe, thus employment creation and industry revival among others.
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