June 2019
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
9% and Mashonaland East at 12,4% . Discrimination most likely around food and other aid
distribution also keeps increasing; from 27 cases in May to 33 in the month of June. The
increase could be as a result of the worsening economic situation that has led to an increase in
the number of vulnerable families. Food aid meant for such families is unfortunately
manipulated at distribution points.
Highlights
Food Aid distribution discrimination is still ongoing, and there seems to be no let-up in
ensuring that food is not distributed in a partisan manner. As ZPP has consistently
highlighted, food aid is used as a weapon to coerce people into supporting the ruling party
and punishing those who side with the opposition.
This was starkly evidenced by an incident reported on 24 June in Hurungwe West, Mashuma
Business Centre Ward 17, where Zanu PF provincial member for Hurungwe West Member
Mutinha intimidated and threatened villagers who were not attending Zanu PF meetings.
Mutinha allegedly forced villagers to convene at Mashuma Business Centre and threatened
those suspected of absconding meetings by stating ‘Hakuna dhongi richayamwa pamombe
gore rino, uye masabhuku mose muri pano hakuna anofanira kupa machinja chikafu che
welfare kana chauya nokuti tichatorera anenge apiwa asiri weZanu’. (A donkey will not feed
from a cow this year, all traditional leaders here present must not give any Social Welfare
food to MDC supporters and we will take any food aid back from those who are not Zanu PF
supporters.)
Such reports are a clear indication that the situation obtaining on the ground is contrary to the
Minister of Public Service Labour and Social Welfare Sekesai Nzenza’s denial in parliament
that there was such practice.
(Find attached with the MMR, a fact sheet on food aid discrimination)
Vulture Tendencies by Traditional leaders have further hardened the situation for villagers
in some parts of the country. In Gokwe-Chireya Ward 5 village heads compelled villagers to
share the United States Dollars (USD) they were given by World Food Programme (WFP) on
the 23rd of June. WFP disbursed cash to selected households headed by orphans and the
elderly for their upkeep. Village heads told those beneficiaries to bring the money to them so
that it would be shared with others who are not on the WFP beneficiaries’ lists. Three
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