Members of Parliament have summoned Finance and Agriculture ministers to appear before the August House and explain why the government has reneged on promises to pay tobacco farmers 50% of their earnings in United States dollars.
Speaking in Parliament on Thursday, Wedza North MP David Musabayana requested that ministers – Mthuli Ncube (Finance) and Perrance Shiri (Agriculture) come to Parliament and clear the air on the issue. Said Musabaya:
In that respect, I am requesting the Minister of Finance and Economic Development Honourable Ncube to come and give a ministerial statement with regards to why he went back on his word on the promises that he had made to the farmers.
In the same vein, I am also requesting the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Development to come with a ministerial statement in terms of how the prices of tobacco have gone down, whether he has carried out an investigation or if he is going to put any measures in place to ensure that farmers will not lose the money to be earned from their tobacco.
Justice Minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi, who is the leader of the House was requested by House Speaker Jacob Mudenda to ensure the two Ministers came to Parliament to explain.