In Zvimba North on 19 June, maize was delivered but it was kept at Councillor Tsitsi
Mahachi’s house in Nyomba for a day. Mahachi is suspected of having reduced the 50kg
bags by taking some of the maize. It is reported that maize was later delivered to Mafuta
Business centre and Chininga Primary School around 6pm with transport that had been hired
by Mahachi. The distribution was done around 9pm and the councillor added names of
people who were not originally on the distribution list like Charles Bovha who is believed to
be her right hand man. Bovha received a 50kg bag, his wife Chipo got 50kg, his mother
another 50kg, his brother Captian Bovha 50kg and another brother believed to be deceased
was also allocated 50kg. Mahachi also brings her children who get allocations as well as
those she purports to be responsible for loading and offloading the maize. It is said that since
the distribution of food began the very first people to benefit were still benefitting and the
councillor is said to have vowed not to change the list of beneficiaries. This has resulted in
some of the beneficiaries selling the maize. A lorry is said to go to the area after distribution
to buy maize to take to Harare. Mahachi is said to have told ZimPF members to get maize
from their party President Joice Mujuru. It was heard that people were ordered to pay $2 per
person for transport and the elderly struggled to raise the money. Some of the elderly people
were said to be going in people’s fields to gather soya beans so they can sell it to get the $2
for transport. The community’s right to food was violated by the councillor for distributing
the maize on partisan grounds. It is sad to note that the elderly were forced to raise $2 for
transport which they are not supposed to pay in the first place.
In Mhondoro-Ngezi, Leoroy Gandi* contested to be an MDC-T councillor for ward 5 in 2008
against Ephraim Chengeta of Zanu PF. It is reported that since that time village head Taurai
Matonga vowed not to give him agricultural inputs. His whole family has been discriminated
against. The victim claimed that he had not received maize since 2008 when he contested on
an MDC-T ticket to date. Village head Matonga is said to be behind his denial accusing him
of supporting the MDC-T. He reported the issue to Councillor Ephraim Chengeta who
promised to look into the matter yet still he does not get anything.
George Pandimire* who was a Zanu PF youth chairperson for ward 7 was harassed for
defecting to ZimPF in front of his wife and family. He was warned by Leonard Zuze, a Zanu
PF youth chairperson to look for alternative accommodation as his stand was going to be
repossessed. It is understood that Maphosa had been allocated a stand by Zanu PF and was
told that since he had defected to ZimPF he should be given a stand by his new party. The
incident happened in Rimuka ward 7 Kadoma Central on 22 June.
On 30 June, Alois Bwanji* of Kadoma Central was reportedly denied from benefitting from
the maize distribution. It is reported that Funny Phiri, the MP told Bwanji that there were too
many people and the maize was insufficient. It is believed that Bwanji was denied the maize
due to his non-attendance of Zanu PF meetings. The distribution was conducted by MP Phiri,
Zanu PF party secretary Manu Mavata and department of Social Welfare officers. The
distribution was done at the MP’s office at Sarudzai Beerhall.
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