Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) 'Biti sabotaging Zimbabwe agricultural development'

'Biti sabotaging Zimbabwe agricultural development'
Our reporter
Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:19:00 +0000

AS Finance Minister Tendai Biti's budget proposals begin to unfold it has become clear that the minister is trying to sabotage the progress currently being made by the newly resettled farmers as he has allocated a measly US$50 million towards supporting the farmers.

Although Biti admitted that the sector contributed the most amount to the country's GDP last year, he has allocated the paltry amount. Biti's move has led to clashes in the inclusive Government over how to spend half a billion dollars from the International Monetary Fund.

The dispute could create further tensions in the already shaky power-sharing deal.

Biti, of the Movement for Democratic Change, has earmarked the US$50 million of the funds for agriculture, a sector that represents about 16 per cent of the economy and a majority of the country's workforce.

But farmers say the government should spend the bulk of the funds on assisting their sector.

Economist Alfred Mutasa told Al Jazeera that the situation has heightened tensions between supporters of the two factions.

"Tension has risen precisely because Tendai Biti has been seen to be very obstructive because he has not been able to deliver," he told Al Jazeera.

"People in Zanu PF think he has been very obstructive in that sense."

Labels: AGRICULTURE, COLOUR REVOLUTIONS, SABOTAGE, TENDAI BITI

posted by MrK @ 8:55 PM