Cabinet Takes Up Food Aid Politicization Amid Deepening Hunger
24 April 2012
Blessing Zulu & Jonga Kandemiiri | Washington
Zimbabwe’s cabinet was on Tuesday pre-occupied with the unfolding hunger
crisis in the country following complaints by Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai’s MDC formation that most needy families were being denied food
aid by ZANU-PF activists.
The MDC says the situation in most rural communities is becoming untenable
with allegations that President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party activists were
politicizing food aid ahead of elections that Mr. Mugabe wants this year.
After intense debate, the cabinet mandated its task force on food security
to ensure there is no politicization of food aid on the ground as details
emerged the food crisis had also been underestimated.
Reports also indicate that ZANU-PF officials are using food aid to lure
voters in their on-going restructuring exercise that has seen district
coordinating committee elections being called around the country.
Some officials in the agriculture ministry and rights groups have also
alleged that ZANU-PF officials are hijacking maize from the Grain Marketing
Board that is meant for the poor and giving it to their supporters.
The task force is expected to report back to cabinet as soon as it finishes
its probe in the communities.
Two weeks ago cabinet resolved to declare five provinces disaster areas
following a disastrous farming season. These are Manicaland, Masvingo,
Midlands and the two Matebeleland provinces.
But technical staff on the ground say hunger is wide spread, adding cities
like Harare may need to import more food to avert shortages.
Agriculture Minister Joseph Made told the state media early this month that
nearly 45 percent of the maize crop that was planted this farming season is
a complete write-off.
The country needs at least 2.2 million tonnes of maize to feed itself
annually but Made said Harare currently has only 400,000 tonnes of maize
grain reserves.
Spokesman Douglas Mwonzora of the MDC formation of Prime Minister Tsvangirai
told VOA’s Jonga Kandemiiri his party took the matter to cabinet because it
was concerned some families were suffering due to the politicization of food
aid, adding such reports were growing by the day.
ZANU-PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo dismissed the MDC claims as cheap propaganda.
But political analyst Trevor Maisiri says ZANU-PF has a long history of
abusing food aid.