Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo| A local pressure group has strongly condemned the distribution of food aid on partisan basis by traditional leaders and Zanu PF activists.
Community Tolerance Reconciliation and Development (COTRAD) yesterday issued a strong statement calling on traditional leaders and Zanu PF officials to desist from the distribution of food in a partisan manner. Villagers have been forced to produce Zanu PF cards and they have also been forced to chant ruling party slogans in order to access food aid. Thousands of villagers across the country are facing starvation since they do not have Zanu PF cards.
COTRAD Advocacy Office, Brighton Ramusi yesterday said the politicisation of food was a flagrant violation of section 77 of the country’s constitution. “It has been brought to our attention that traditional leaders and Zanu PF officials are denying villagers who do not wield Zanu PF cards access to food aid. COTRAD categorically states that the politicisation of food has to cease forthwith. We are gravely concerned about the fact that food aid is failing to reach the intended beneficiaries since the process has been taken over by biased traditional leaders and Zanu PF activists. We have received disturbing reports from Zaka, Mwenezi and Chivi, about the distribution of food aid on partisan basis. We are moving around the villages compiling such details because we are determined to stop the politicisation of food aid,” said Ramusi.
Last week villagers in the Nerupiri area , Gutu district were barred from participating in the food for work exercise in an incident witnessed by ZimEye.com.