Terrence Mawawa, Mwenezi | Desperate villagers here have resorted to baboon meat as the ruling party Zanu PF continues to distribute food aid on partisan basis.
Zanu PF politicians led by Mnanagwa aide Josaya Dunhira Hungwe have openly instructed local villagers to join the ruling party or face starvation.
Traditional leaders here are also working with Zanu PF members to deny villagers access to food aid.
Villagers in Mwenezi District, one of the areas severely affected by drought now survive on baboon meat.
An official in the Parks and Wildlife Department told ZimEye.com yesterday there was grave concern at the increase in the number of villagers killing baboons for meat over the past few months.
The official said the villagers were hunting baboons because they were easy to trap. He said the department was worried about the rapid decimation of the baboon population as a result of hunger.
“We are experiencing a rare form of poaching here as a result drought. This is our first time to realise that people eat baboon meat. This is happening because of drought. The people are doing so because they are facing starvation,” said the official.
Admire Mukono of Negari Village said the villagers were struggling to afford decent meals on a daily basis as a result of the politicisation of food aid by Zanu PF members.
“Our only option is to resort to baboon meat because we are being denied access to food aid by Zanu PF politicians,” he said.