Manicaland Resident Minister Ellen Gwaradzimba was allegedly chased away in Sakubva, Mutare by hungry and angry residents over the partisan distribution of mealie meal.

The minister was reportedly favouring Zanu pf stalwarts at the expense of everyone else.

A source who spoke to ZimEye who witnessed the incident said:

“Gwaradzimba came with Mutare Urban DISPOL Superintendent Florence Marume, Provincial Administrator, District Administrator and other JOC members with mealie meal so that she launches the door to door delivery during lockdown.

“When the Minister came with her team of  provincial covid task force, we thought the process was going to be fair and non political.

“The majority were surprised when the Minister started using a list she was given by Zanu pf Chairperson.This angered  hungry parents and youths who demanded to know why the Minister was segregating people on political grounds yet she had been preaching against that at the national COVID provincial task force meeting held at Queens hall.

“The hungry mob could not swallow it and started shouting at her. When she saw that the situation was turning tense she had to run for dear life with people shouting all sorts of obscene language at her.”

Efforts to get a comment from the minister were futile by the time of writing.

Last week, Zanu pf Chairpersons in and around Manicaland compiled lists of beneficiaries for the program, lists of which were compied by party stalwarts. It is also believed that the same lists will be used to distribute food and money which the government has promised to help its citizens with during the 21 Day Lockdown.