By Evans Muranganwa.
Harare, Zimbabwe. (News Of The South) – Fear of starvation in the worsening nationwide hunger, affecting above 1.5 million people in Zimbabwe, is spurring a huge fight by villagers against partisan food aid distribution in Mutasa district in Manicaland province, a statement by ZimRights reveals.
During this extended El Nino-induced drought season, villagers in Mutasa District fear that government will channel food aid to its supporters as it has done to villagers in the remote area in the past.
An amateur video taken from a mobile phone on January 15, 2016, shows the ruling Zanu-PF party Ward 17 chairwoman, Lucia Mundoma, telling villagers that party supporters will be prioritised in coming food handouts ahead of other equally starving villagers.
ZimRights National Chairperson, Passmore Nyakureba, said the organisation was preparing itself to respond to situations of partisan food aid distribution.
“We are going to prepare our membership, village heads and chiefs not to accept being subjected to political intimidation in the process where they are certain to be used as weapons to persecute human rights defenders, opposition activists, other peace and development practitioners and citizens who not Zanu-PF party members by denying them food aid. We have already seen what is in store in the inputs distribution program and now in the early stages of food distribution,” Nyakureba said.
There are also fears that Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) officers deployed to rural areas few years ago under the questionable Operation Maguta, where they are purportedly working as engineer corps helping communities in food security, could soon be involved in partisan food aid distribution as in previous years, with the hunger expected to continue until 2017.
But Mutasa Member of Parliament (MP), Hon. Trevor Saruwaka, petitioned the Mutasa District Administrator (DA), Tendai Kapenzi, in a letter dated January 22, 2016, complaining of the partisan conduct of the traditional leaders and other officials.
He copied the letter, which complained of a recent incident, to the Manicaland Provincial Administrator (PA), Fungai Mbetsa, and Minister of State for Manicaland Province, Hon. Mandi Chimene.
“…the two village heads [Nyatsanga and Danhama] gathered their people at two separate points at the Business Centre (Terera) for a program with the Agritex officers who wanted to compile lists of Drought Relief beneficiaries.
“To my obvious disappointment but not surprise Mrs. Mundoma, the notorious Zanu PF chairperson, took full charge of the process,” the petition read in part.
Zimbabwe is currently experiencing the effects of El Nino which have seen most livestock succumbing to the dry conditions.
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