It is the politics and not the space satellite
The United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Ms Hilal Elver who recently completed an 11 day
mission after an invitation was extended by the government from 18 to 28 November 2019, exposes the dire state
of the economy which has resulted in acute food insecurity in Zimbabwe. Currently, many citizens are surviving on
one meal a day and some have resorted to dehumanising means to obtain food for their families. In her preliminary
report, the Special Rapporteur elaborated that “the most vulnerable segments of society, including the elderly,
children and women, are forced to rely on early marriage, and sex trade to obtain food, behavioural patterns that
often are accompanied by domestic violence, as coping mechanisms to mitigate the serious challenges they are
facing. This kind of struggle for subsistence affects their physical wellbeing and self-respect. It creates behaviour and
conditions that violate their most fundamental human rights.”
The Special Rapporteur’s report is a clarion call for the speedy address of the grim situation in Zimbabwe. She clearly
articulated that women and children are mostly bearing the brunt of the food crisis. The Special Rapporteur stated
that “The vast majority of children I met in the rural parts of Masvingo and in Mwenezi, as well as in informal settings
in the suburbs of Harare, appeared severely stunted and underweight due to reduced food availability caused by high
levels of poverty and the consequence of the recurrent drought and floods.” She added that she saw effects of infants
who are deprived of breast milk as their mothers are failing to access adequate food to produce breast milk. This,
she explained has a far reaching effect on the health and welfare of the children.
The report confirms that almost 8 million Zimbabweans in both rural and urban areas will need food and other aid
until March 2020. However, the vulnerability of this population is being exacerbated by the blatant politicization of
aid and deprivation for those perceived to be opposition supporters. This was evidenced by the rise in the number
of cases related to food and other aid to 55 cases recorded during the month of November up from the October
cases at 33. Masvingo province recorded the highest number of this violation at 22 followed by Mashonaland Central
province with 10.
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