By Cheriel Dzobo in Chipinge| Villagers who attended a community dialogue meeting organised on Valentines day in Vheneka village have complained that efforts by humanitarian organisations and government to avert hunger were being undermined by those bent on promoting their political party interests.

Participants recommended the establishment of a stakeholders platform that would help the equitable distribution to reduce the current status, where known political players are bulldozing their way to determine who should be recipients of the food handouts from both government and non Non Governmental Organisations.

The 2017 Zimbabwe Poverty Report states that poverty is much higher in rural communities than in urban areas and that at least 6 out of every 10 or 60.6 per cent of households have per capita consumption expenditures below the upper poverty line. At the same time, 76.9 per cent of rural households are deemed poor. Zimbabwe boasts of a constitutional provision for the right to food and water for its citizens.

From the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (no.20) Act 2013, the provision extol the state to take “reasonable legislative and other measures, within its limits of the resources available to it, to achieve the progressive realization of this right” of food and water. Thus, the Constitution emphasizes the achievement of fair distribution of humanitarian assistance to marginalized communities.

Chipinge district is classified as food insecure especially communities along the Save Valley. This has been compounded by current macroeconomic environment. This has presented extreme levels of vulnerability and risk for rural communities and put people’s lives and livelihoods under acute threat due to the fact that local capacities to cope with crisis are overwhelmed. In response to this predicament, PYCD conducted a community meeting on the 14th of February. The main objective of the meeting was to sensitive the community on the obligations of the state to ensure that every person has the right to food as espoused by the Constitution. From the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (no.20) Act 2013, the provision extol the state to take “reasonable legislative and other measures, within its limits of the resources available to it, to achieve the progressive realization of this right” of food and water.

However, the local people bemoaned the politicization of the right to food. Political players within the community have an influence on decisions about levels of assistance and in turn affect the type of assistance people receive, and where and when they do so. The partisanship nature of humanitarian assistance in rural communities leads to a continuing need for relief assistance, creating a vicious cycle and trapping people into chronic poverty. This in turn creates tension within communities and possibly violent behaviors against each other.

“It is within your right to receive any assistance that can ameliorate your situation. The right to food is an inalienable right that no other person must abuse. Remain vigilant and report such cases as it is a serious violation.”
Artwel Sithole, PYCD Information and Social Media Officer is quoted as telling the community.

It is sad to note that most people in Chipinge have now resorted to crossing over to Mozambique and South Africa in search of mealie meal. The measures that the central government have since introduced in order to curb abuse of the food resources have been abused. Most shops in Chipinge have stocks of mealie meal from South Africa that is being charged in foreign currency, a move that is beyond the reach of many vulnerable communities in the district.

Nevertheless, the community meeting enhanced the community’s level of awareness on the right to food and the need to ensure equal access to humanitarian assistance.

This is part of the civic duties of PYCD to ensure that communities are not vulnerable to hunger and the cycle of poverty.