By Jane Mlambo| Former Reserve Bank Governor Dr Gideon Gono has dragged the late MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai’s name in the controversial farm mechanization scheme saga, after questioning why he was not being mentioned as one of the beneficiaries of the central bank’s quasi-fiscal interventions.

In response to Alex Magaisa’s expose which listed names of prominent people who benefited from the farm mechanization scheme which saw government later assuming USD$1,3 Billion debt, Gono said the late President Robert Mugabe had to use quasi-fiscal interventions to acquire Tsvangirai’s Highlands house.

“I recall in October/ November 2009 when the former President, Cde R.G. Mugabe, former Prime Minister M. R.  Tsvangirai had to use a quasi-fiscal intervention to acquire the PM’s Highlands home for $1,5m just to settle a dispute over the residence status of Dr Tsvangirai which had become one of the sticky issues and had led to an MDC-T disengagement from Government of National Unity (GNU) 16 October,2009).

“Approval to pay for the house was given to me on 13 November 2009 and the State acquired this “debt” and eventually wrote it off,” said Gono.

He defended his move to dish out farm equipment saying it was not a burden when looking at what could have negatively happened to the economy.

“Both taxpayers belonging and not belonging to MDC-T have had to foot that bill. I don’t call it a burden when you weigh what could have negatively happened to our economy and government had the then PM remained outside Government and what eventually, then happened after the MDC-T returned to the table.”