villagers were refunded their $2 fees meant for ferrying
their maize after the distribution and ultimately sent home
empty handed. A few individuals that had paid via Ecocash
are said to have received their share of the food aid on 24
June in Insiza South at Nyamime village, ward 2.
Zanu PF member, Norah Mthwetha, disrupted a village
meeting when she allegedly threatened to scrap off the
names of opposition party supporters from a list of food aid
beneficiaries. She said as a Zanu PF member she is justified
to do so and ensure that only Zanu PF supporters benefit
from food aid in the future. The meeting was held on 24
June at Mbembeswana ward 3 of Bubi.
In Chiwundura ward 9 Kurima Kwakanaka village, on 1
June opposition supporters were allegedly denied food aid
which was in the form of rice. Zanu PF ward 9 chairperson,
Clever Tarisa, and Zanu PF youth officer, Sunny Chitarata,
denied all perceived opposition supporters rice from the
Social Welfare department. This is said to have been done
by initially removing these opposition supporters’ names
from the Social Welfare beneficiaries list. Tarisa and
Chitarata are alleged to have said that those who were
removed from the list were only going to receive aid after
they leave opposition parties and join Zanu PF. Zanu PF
party slogans were chanted during distribution.
On 11 June during maize distribution at Dambudzo
Primary in Mbizo, Kwekwe, a Zanu PF member, Jaravani,
declared that the official name list was not going to be used
instead those who attend party meetings and are Zanu PF
members are the ones who were going to get aid. He added
that only those that support the party of President Mugabe
would receive food aid.
In Gwanda North at Ntembeni in ward 3, it was reported
that the village head, *Michael Nyoni convened a meeting
with villagers with the aim of discussing problems
affecting the community on 5 June. While at the meeting it
is alleged that Zanu PF ward chairperson, Lazaros Ncube
stood up and began castigating all opposition party
supporters. It is alleged that he made reference to all village
members aligned to ZimRights and other nongovernmental organizations and told them to stop their
engagements or risk being removed from the social welfare
beneficiaries’ list. When contacted for comment ZimRights
confirmed that they have mechanisms of ensuring that the
role of teir members is understood and that their
community structures and provincial coordinators intervene
ammicably.
On 27 June in Chiwundura ward 14, two village heads from
Mlezu village, namely Gideon Mputa and Otilia Sileba,
allegedly denied all perceived opposition supporters rice
from the Department of Social Welfare. Rice was only
distributed among villagers who produced their Zanu PF
membership cards. It is also alleged that the two village
heads went on to openly declare that this food aid was
meant for Zanu PF supporters only.
Zanu PF members, Goodwell Mafu and Elliot Mathuthu,
were accused of withholding maize meant for vulnerable
groups with the intention of redistributing to individuals
who are not part of the beneficiary list. It is said that,
*Names of victims have been changed.
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