Agric perm sec faces arrest over agric inputs

CHIPINGE: Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development permanent secretary Professor Obert Jiri faces arrest amid allegations of giving the nod to corruptly distributing fertilizer inputs to Chipinge South villagers,Express Mail Zim can report.

Jiri is being accused together with Chipinge South aspiring politician Effiie Zituta.

A report made has since been made to Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) with security details having stopped fertilizer dispatch.

Zituta is not a stranger to controversy, having been involved in a NSSA debacle and Farmec tractor shenanigans.

According to a copy of a dossier in our possession, a letter dated January 26 reads:

“A request was made through the Secretary Prof. Obert Jiri on the need for fertilizer as stated above. The Secretary did not object.

“May you facilitate that at least ninety metric tonnes of top dressing be delivered at Chipangayi Grain Marketing Board as soon as is possible for application to crop which is now due for topdressing,” partly reads the request.

In another dossier dated January 12, 2024, Zituta addressed to Jiri he also requested for some more inputs including tick grease.

“We kindly request the support of your Ministry under the Presidential input support programs for Chipinge South Constituency.

“As Zanu Pf Chipinge South Constituency, we are working tirelessly to empower our people through various programmes including this Rural Presidential Input Support,” reads the dossier.

The ministry has a ‘legacy’ of scandals since the days of the late Kumbirai Kangai who swindled GMB on umprecedented levels.