via Duped farmers demand refunds | The Herald January 17, 2015
FARMERS who lost funds to Lasch Investments, the firm that has failed to deliver promised inputs in a botched deal, yesterday surged around Zanu-PF Headquarters demanding refunds.
Lasch Investments is owned by the Zanu-PF Youth League and local businessmen.
Farmers paid Lasch Investments, which promised to source inputs for them but failed to deliver.
The farmers said they were tired of false promises by Lasch Investments.
They demanded to see Zanu-PF secretary for Administration, Dr Ignatius Chombo.
The farmers also detained Zanu-PF Secretary for Youth Affairs Cde Pupurai Togarepi.
“We are not going to let you go until you either call Cde Chombo or we get our fertilisers,” shouted the farmers.
Cde Togarepi told the farmers that their grievances were being addressed.
“It is ok, you can detain me but what I want to say is that your grievances would be addressed,” he said.
Zanu-PF director of administration Cde Dickson Dzora recently said the party was working flat out to ensure the farmers were assisted.
The party was also looking at ways to assist the affected farmers with farming inputs this season.
Lasch Investments launched the input scheme in July last year, together with the Zanu-PF Youth Affairs department.
Farmers paid US$36 joining fee, US$5 for an Agritex stamp and various other amounts.
Management misused the money.
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