told that if they do not chant slogans and don’t
have membership cards then they would not get
food aid. Due to the fact that hunger has gripped
most households, villagers that had gathered to
collect food aid chanted the slogans.
meeting was for small scale farmers and Gwebu is
alleged to have said if one is not a Zanu PF card
carrying member, he or she was not going to
receive farming inputs to be distributed during
preparations for 2017-2108 farming season. Zanu
PF ward 23 secretary, Chivanga, is said to have
supported Gwebu.
In ward 22 of Tsholotsho South, it is alleged that
councilor Phumuza Ziga Dube and zone leaders
that included Silingiwe Tshuma, Peter Mterere,
Magret Rashirayi, Othilia Moyo and Edward
Ndlovu denied various beneficiaries food aid after
a food for work program. The program was rolled
out by Environmental Management Agency (EMA)
where villagers were picking litter every
Wednesday and getting a bag of maize per month
as payment. However, on 19 May, the rightful
beneficiaries did not get maize while others did by
virtue of being Zanu PF supporters.
On 5 May, villagers from ward 8 and ward 34 in
Zaka Central, gathered at Chipoto Business Centre
to receive food aid from a donor organisation. It is
alleged that each recipient of a 50kg bag of maize
was required to pay $1.20 towards transportation
of maize. Of the rightful beneficiaries, only five
could afford to pay and the rest of the maize was
given to Zanu PF card carrying members.
In Bikita East ward 17 people gathered on 16 May
to receive maize and 5kg bags of rice from the
department of social welfare. However,
allegations are that small quantities of the maize
were given to villagers and none of them received
rice. It is also alleged that social welfare officer,
Bleswald Bumhira, gave himself and several Zanu
PF supporters each a 50kg bag of maize.
On 15 May it was reported that food aid meant
for the elderly as well as those who had been
working under the food for work programme in
Silobela was allegedly politicized by ward 24
councillor, Munashe Matani. Zanu PF supporters
that had not taken part in the programme
received maize while names of some recipients
were removed from the register. About six bags of
maize were not given to anyone and this raised
suspicion over who the bags of maize were
reserved for.
In Zaka West ward 24 at Bota Ward Centre on the
27 May, a case of unfair distribution and
politicization of food aid was recorded. Rice was
brought to the ward centre on the 26 May on
request of the ward councillor Cletos Isaac Vhudzi
then when people had gathered Zanu PF activists
took over the distribution process. Notable among
them were Chifudza Mawadze of Mawadze
village, Councillor Cletos Isaac Vhudzi, Curthbert
Chiguvi Zanu PF ward youth chairperson, Nesbert
In Redcliff ward 23 at Jackson Business Centre, it
was reported that on the 28 May, the ward Zanu
PF chairperson Palament Gwebu took advantage
of the farmers gathering to threaten villagers. This
18