Zimbabwe in Lockdown:
COVID-19 & Human Rights
from a community perspective
2.1 AID
POLITICISATION & POLICY DISCORD
In addition to being subjected to harassment, citizens who found themselves socially vulnerable and
unable to feed themselves or their families, faced discrimination from getting any form of aid.
In Manicaland Province Zanu PF members, seized the opportunity to punish those perceived and
known to be opposition supporters through politicisation of government food programmes.
These incidences were recorded in Mutare Central and Dangamvura/Chikanga constituencies.
During the first week of the lockdown, government announced it would disburse ZWL600 million to a
million vulnerable households and the money (about ZWL200 per family) was to be disbursed through
the Department of Social Welfare, which was to assess vulnerability and compile a list of deserving
families.
However, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube turned around and announced that that he had used a
‘sophisticated algorithm system’ to determine who should benefit from the funds.
Mthuli’s algorithms statements effectively trashed statements by Public Service, Labour and Social
Welfare deputy minister Lovemore Matuke, who in an interview with a local daily on April 15, said
disbursements would be done under his ministry.
Matuke claimed that 800 000 beneficiaries who will get support “were identified through the Econet
platform”, while only 200 000 were identified by the Ministry of Social Welfare.
These discrepancies seemed to confirm the confusion that surrounded the disbursements and cast
doubts on whether the money was there in the first place.
A small survey by the ZPP confirmed that a couple of individuals had received varied amounts of
money.In Matabeleland, some people received ZWL180.00 via Ecocash mobile money platform.
Some were not happy at how the ruling party was interfering with the process and in Beitbridge he
local MP announced that more Zanu PF supporters were
supposed to receive the disbursements.
Despite the reports of corruption and discord in the
disbursement of the funds, the fact still remains that
ZWL180.00, which is equivalent to about US$5.00, is not
enough to support a household for even a day.
The money is just enough to buy six loves of bread, or a
kilogramme of meat
Once again, government failed on transparency and
accountability.
REPORT
HUMAN RIGHTS
VIOLATIONS TO
+263 77 488 3406
+263 77 488 3417
ZWL180.00
CAN BUY SIX
LOAVES OF BREAD