via Zanu PF, MDC in ‘hunger wars’ – DailyNews Live Bridget Mananavire • 10 April 2016
HARARE – MDC councillor Clifford Nhamburo is up in arms with Zanu PF MP for Goromonzi East Beatrice Nyamupinga over food distribution in the area, as villagers fight an El nino-induced drought that has left at least four million people in dire need of food aid in the country.
Nhamburo, who is councillor for ward 4 in Domboshava accused Nyamupinga of interfering in the food distribution process, and giving instructions to district officials not to involve him in the programmes.
This comes as the MDC, is planning mass demonstrations against the Zanu PF government’s failure to improve the economy and the way food is being selectively distributed across the country.
MDC has in the past been complaining that its members are being denied food rations, a claim that Zanu PF has down-played.
“The MP has a problem with me, and has refused to work with me. This has caused a lot of confusion and inconsistencies in the distribution of food aid, because they have refused to take names of affected villagers from me,” Nhamburo said.
Adding that, “She (Nyamupinga) came to the meeting we were conducting on drought relief and gave instructions to the District Administrator (DA) not to work with me. She was here in person again . . . and she has replaced me with another person.
“This is something which is against the law, and all the names that we compiled for food aid will not be included.”
As millions face hunger across the country, donors have doubled their food aid support to the country.
However, there have been rampant reports of politicisation of food aid being distributed via government agents, as opposition supporters are being side-lined.
Efforts to get a comment from Nyamupinga were fruitless as her mobile phone went unanswered.
According to a report by Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights), the politicisation of food is in full scale as politicians are discriminating villagers on political lines.
“ . . . March 12, 2016, names were being compiled for food aid beneficiaries in Ward 3 of Mbire in Mashonaland Central when Zanu PF officials, Lapukan Chimanga, a local chairman, and councillor Albert Kavhiko told Blessing Matsaira he will never get food aid,” read the Zimrights report.
“Matsaira, who hails in Sapa Village in Mbire was reportedly told to go and get food aid from opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai…”
Section 56 (3) of the Constitution states that: “Every person has the right not to be treated in an unfairly discriminatory manner on such grounds as their nationality, race, colour, tribe, place of birth, ethnic or social origin, language, class, religious belief, political affiliation, opinion, custom, culture, sex, gender, marital status, age, pregnancy, disability or economic or social status, or whether they were born in or out of wedlock.”
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