100 Farmers Stranded at Mashonaland West GMB Depot
Gibbs Dube
18.02.2013
WASHINGTON DC — More than 100 communal farmers in Zimbabwe’s Mashonaland
West Province are stranded at Magunje Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depot
after the parastatal failed to pay them for maize delivered last
agricultural season.
According to three lawmakers, the farmers have nowhere to go as they come
from as far afield as Hurungwe West and other areas.
They said at least 150 farmers received varying amounts of money last Friday
and Saturday but some were left stranded.
Hurungwe West lawmaker, Severino Tall Chambati said the situation is chaotic
at the GMB depot. “It’s sad that farmers are being illtreated by the
parastatal which has over the years failed to meet its financial
obligations,” said Chambati.
Hurungwe East Member of Parliament, Sarah Mawoka, said she is among farmers
who have not been paid by the GMB for maize deliveries for almost three
years.
Mawoka claimed that the Ministry of Finance is not concerned about the
plight of these stranded farmers who make a living through crop cultivation.
Parliamentary agriculture committee chairman Moses Jiri said the GMB now
owes farmers only $750,000 after it paid $20 million for last year’s maize
deliveries.