CHIPINGE WEST– Opposition supporters are crying foul over the partisan distribution of relief food from government and nongovernmental organizations in the hunger ravaged districts of Manicaland.
The Movement for Democratic Change members made these remarks in sideline interviews at a ward rally addressed by national executive member Giles Mutseekwa, where officials assured the villagers they were resolving the issue.
“The food is being distributed on a partisan basis varikuti card rako rejongwe ririkupi, they are requesting ZANU PF membership cards for us to be listed as beneficiaries, asi vamwe varikupiwa chikafu katatu katatu nekuti ndivo vanonyora, others are even getting triple allocations because they control the vetting process,” said a villager who requested anonymity for fear of victimization.
Musikavanhu Member of Parliament Prosper Mutseyami urged the villagers to take up the matter with their District Adminstrator, as he moved in to assure residents that the matter will be resolved.
He also said pensioners and war veterans should not be part of beneficiaries for the NGO food packages, urging villagers to make anonymous reports of such people who benefit.
“As a party we are moving to resolve this matter but I want it to be on record that no one who is on pension and war veterans who queue each month for allowances should get this food aid.
“Make use of the anonymous suggestion boxes and report people who are abusing the system even if they are traditional leaders,” he said.
Zimbabwe is part of the Sub Sahara Africa which has been hard hit by Elnino induced hunger which has seen millions of vulnerable communities in need of food aid.
In Manicaland at least 42 900 families had been receiving food aid according to figures released last month by Provincial Adminstrator, Fungai Mbetsa, with at least 3200livestock having perished due to lack of pasture.
“Food relief is being provided on a monthly basis to specially targeted vulnerable families, we are concentrating on the driest parts of the province, also WFP is distributing in some parts of Buhera district,” he said.
World Food Programmes (WFP) has since extended its food relief portifolio and is currently distributing food handouts to at least 67 000 families while an integrated government support program is assisting 42 000 households.
WFP provincial manager Welldone Mushore said the recent interventions were in Chipinge district, one of the hardest hit areas nationally, where food handouts and cash was being distributed.
“We are distributing food across the province and we have recently launched the porgramme into Chipinge district, where we provide 50kg of maize per family as well as a small token of cash for their other nutrition needs,” he said.
According to the 2015 Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee’s (ZIMVAC) Rural Livelihoods Assessment millions need food aid.
“At least 1.5 million people or 16 percent of the rural population, would have insufficient means to meet their minimum food needs between January and March 2016, 166 percent higher than in the previous season.”
