the beneficiary list. Pauline, who is a member of MDC-T, suspects that there is
political discrimination over the distribution of food.
On 24 April 2016, there was maize distribution at Mafuta Business Centre in Zvimba
North. Councillor Mercy Mahachi brought her three sons and a daughter. They
arrived around 3pm and started chanting slogans with village head Mandaza. The
councillor addressed people that those whose names were not found on the list should
immediately leave and should not bother them. Village head Mandaza who was
appointed by councillor Mahachi started calling out the names on their list. Most of
the people on the list were from a new resettlement area where the councillor is
popular and this list was compiled by the councillor’s campaign officer known only as
Charles. The same people who benefitted last month were the ones who benefited.
The people protested but the councillor chased people away saying those whose
names were not on the list should leave. The distribution was done by the councillor
and her daughter. Charles is said to have received 10 x 50kg for his parents and his
in-laws. It was heard that those who benefitted were selling the maize at Mafuta
claiming that they were going to get another allocation the following month. The
village head is said to have received his bags of maize after the distribution session, it
was not known how much he received. The councillor is said to have told people that
her children will get a bag each all 5 of them including herself yet they came from the
same house.
Matabeleland North
On 19 April 2016, at Siganda in Bubi, Zanu-PF members Douglas Khoza and Norah
Mthethwa barred Mandla Khoza (not real name) from registering for welfare relief
food after he refused to buy a Zanu-PF party card. He had also publicly told his fellow
MDC-T party activists not to be co-erced to buy the Zanu-PF cards, something which
was being used against him.
On 30 April 2016, all village heads were told by the district administrator’s office to
compile lists of villagers to allow them to buy food from the GMB at US$15 per 50
kg bag of maize. Those with larger families could buy more at any time for US$23 a
bag. Unconfirmed reports say some village heads were discriminating on party
grounds.
On 28 April 2016, Dickson Mudimba of Sikalenga Village in Binga North who is a
member of the MDC-T was barred from registering for drought relief food by ZanuPF youth ward officers who told him to go and get food from MDC-T leader, Morgan
Tsvangirai. They erased his name from the original register. Victim approached Chief
Sikalenge who promised to take action against the perpetrators. At the time of going
to print, it was not known whether or not the chief took any action.
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