others believe a new leader is needed to break the jinx of perennially playing opposition politics.
Mangoma went on to accuse party leader Tsvangirai and an unnamed national executive member of
inciting violence by failing to rein in youths who threatened to “deal” with him
FOOD AND OTHER FORMS OF AID VIOLATIONS
Food and other forms of aid distributions continued to be marred by discrimination of supporters and
perceived supporters of opposition parties throughout the country. Some political leaders have been
accused of looting the inputs. There were also reports where Agricultural Extension (AREX) officers
have been harassed and intimidated while distributing farming inputs to the communities..
The Presidential Inputs Scheme was the most abused aid scheme during the month under review by
the Zanu PF leadership, war veterans and traditional leaders throughout the country. Under the
scheme each household is entitled to a 10kg bag of seed maize, 50kg compound D fertilizer, 50kg
ammonium nitrate fertilizer and 50kg lime while those in drier areas also receive 5kg each of sorghum
or millet seed in place of maize.
In Mashonland West, a female AREX official was almost thrashed by Joel Munyanyi of Zanu PF at a
distribution centre in Ward 16 Mukwashi in Chegutu East constituency. A police officer had to
intervene to stop the scuffle. The AREX officer had instructed that a truck load of fertiliser move to
another ward. In another related matter an AREX officer from Matabeleland North ward 10, Rural
District Council Veterinary office Mwemba, Hwange East constituency was harassed and intimidated
by Lewis Phiri of Zanu PF. It is reported that the perpetrator was accusing the survivor of removing
him from a livestock beneficiary list in the area. It is reported that the perpetrator threatened to bring
some Zanu PF youths in the area to deal with the AREX officer and all those who were against him.
The incident happened on the 9th of January 2014.
In Mukuwiri village, Gutu Central headman Rwodzi allegedly denied an MDC-T activist access to
fertilisers accusing him of being a member of MDC-T who campaigned against Zanu PF in 2013. The
case was reported to the local councillor but nothing was done. The village head said even if maize
grains and other food stuffs come, the survivor would not get anything until he joined Zanu PF.
A lot of children have reportedly dropped out of school after the Basic Education Assistance Model
(BEAM) withdraw support due to lack of funds. Under the BEAM the government needs $73 million
to pay school fees for orphans and disadvantaged children, but the permanent secretary in the
Ministry of Public Service Labour and Social Welfare Ngoni Masoka said only $15 million was
budgeted for BEAM in the 2014 fiscal year.
Almost all districts in the Matabeleland North province are in dire need of food aid. Although
there are certain NGOs which are carrying out feeding programmes in the province this has
not been enough as they normally target certain groups in communities such as people living
with HIV and AIDS, the elderly and children.
Fig. 1: Human Rights Violation levels Aug 2013– Jan 2014
600
400
Fig. 2: Violations of politicized food & aid distribution Jan
2014
525
389
317
313
200
213
25
20
15
10
5
0
286
0
1
August
September
October
November
December
January
3
19
15
6
0
2
0
4
23
9
0