via ‘Decision on white dairy farmers in national interest’ December 4, 2013 NewsDay
Former Midlands governor Cephas Msipa said the decision to allow some white dairy white farmers to keep their properties and to continue production in the Midlands was out of national interest.
He said if focus was not placed on production, the country would be importing milk. Msipa, who is also a Zanu PF politburo member, made the remarks during a visit by Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development deputy minister Paddy Zhanda to meet farmers in Gweru on Monday.
He said the colour of one’s skin did not matter as long as they were productive on the pieces of land they occupied, adding that he joined Zanu PF to bring positive change to the country and not for personal gain.
“People should understand that there is national interest and self-interest,” said Msipa.
“Some of us joined politics to bring about change and not for personal gain.
“It is in the national interest that I said these dairy farmers should remain on their farms. We don’t have to import milk when we have people who are productive. It does not matter that one is white or black; what we want is development.”
Statistics show that raw milk production in Zimbabwe is averaging 4,5 million litres per month against estimated demand of 8 million litres per month.
At the height of the land reform programme, some white dairy farmers in the Midlands province were arrested and evicted from their farms.
COMMENTS
This is what the old ZAPU personnel thought about future Zimbabwe not before joining ZANU PF.We thought all blacks and whites born here will be classified as indigenise people with equal rights but we were naive.I hate to use words which classify people on their skin colour but I have no other way to highlight how the system has been manipulated by politicians for their misguided agendas.Mr Msipa, push forward with your logical approach maybe these young untested newcomers in politics can see some sense from you ex-ZAPU leadership.This country needs people like you to stand firm for the truth to educate these selfish and less informed young politicians who offer nothing to their electorates.What they know is corruption and looting.Let us concentrate in the economy recovery not on senseless agendas like further farm seizures and threats to investors.
Zanupf giveth and Zanupf taketh! This is just another example of how Zanupf is running Zimbabwe by decree at whim, how do they expect anyone to invest in the country. Why did they not adopt this attitude in 2000, we had very productive farmers on the land feeding Zimbabwe with spare capacity to export, their skin colour was obviously a problem then for Zanupf! You reap what you sow, Zanupf has destroyed Zimbabwes crop farming and livestock farming built over a hundred years and it will probably never be restored to it,s former level of production and expertise.
Ku supporter bhunu kunoda kwamai kwaTsvangson kunodzima dzima moto
We are not in agreement with any takeovers. The land issue has brought Zimbabwe to its knees. Sure! The land needed to be sorted out and evenly redistributed but the way in which has been done has had catastrophic results. Ungodly to say the least. We say stop all takeovers now and underpin everything with a wise and just policy. Why are these land grabs even still happening?????? We cannot even feed our selves. And we are all Zimbabweans irrespective of race, clan and tribe and political affiliation. Why can we not live with each other and work together and put all this political claptrap behind us? All politics has done for this nation is destroy and divide.
give us a break Cephas with your sanctimonious clap trap.. you have been receiving monthly stipends from these whites for some time now and your part of the bargain is to protect them…
You don’t step out of line in ZANU(PF). Everyone knows that he wouldn’t have made this announcement without the explicit approval of the politburo. Whites hate Zanu, so there might be something else at play here.
Same as the Nicole of this world were a national interest
and Nicole is now the largest protein producer in southern africa by growing his crops in Zambia, more the fool zanupf who will have to find hard cash,which they will beg from ‘white’ western countries to buy back the food that should have been grown in Zim–idiots!!!
Munzwa only stupid comment like you just did so I will stop here as talking to a fool is worse than being a fool