COUNCILLORS and traditional leaders will not be involved in the distribution of food aid and selection of at least 7,7 million food insecure people countrywide following the 2018/19 drought that hit Zimbabwe, a Cabinet minister said yesterday.

Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo who is the chairperson of the Cabinet Committee on Environment, Disaster Prevention and Management made the remarks at a local hotel during a workshop to sensitise and reorient sub-national structures on the management of the 2018-2019 El-Nino-induced drought.

Minister Moyo said Government has so far received $133 million from its $434 million humanitarian revised appeal saying with the sanctity of the food aid distribution process it is crucial for the country to continue getting aid.

“President Mnangagwa is going to meet every rural district councillor in Zimbabwe to address them on what they are supposed to do on the humanitarian appeal. The critical thing is the selection criteria of food aid beneficiaries has to be professional, non-partisan and should be targeted to the most vulnerable.

“We are not going to ask councillors to participate in the selection of vulnerable people because they have an interest and are representatives, will also not ask them to distribute food and cash. Even village heads will also not be involved in the distribution because the sanctity of what we are going to do is crucial if Zimbabwe is to get assistance from the donor community and we also owe it to ourselves,” he said.State media