Supporters of opposition political parties in Zimbabwe are reportedly being excluded from food aid and farming input distribution in rural regions.
The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) Monthly Monitoring Report for September 2024 reveals that the aid distribution is occurring along partisan lines. The report details nine incidents where 85 individuals were denied assistance based on their political affiliations.
In one case, in Ward 8 of Vungu district, only 14 out of approximately 65 families are receiving government-sponsored food aid. Victims indicate that when it was suggested to increase the number of beneficiary households, additional beneficiaries from the ruling party were included from other villages instead of adding more families from within the village, who were deemed ineligible due to their political ties.
One individual shared, “We are not receiving food rations because they tell us to rely on our ‘Father’s plate.’ We often learn from others that our names were called out, yet we don’t receive any food, meaning someone else is benefiting in our place.”
In Mwenezi North’s Ward 4, Kraal Head Chitemere is accused of exclusively distributing farming inputs to supporters of the ruling party, sidelining others. He reportedly excluded two families from receiving fertiliser under the Pfumvudza program, stating that their lack of participation in ZANU PF meetings disqualified them.
Facing a hostile environment, these families requested a letter from Chitemere to allow them to relocate, but he denied their request, labeling them as CCC members and claiming their move would negatively affect others.
Additionally, traditional leaders are reportedly coercing villagers to participate in labor-intensive infrastructure projects under the guise of a “food for work” initiative. These practices have been observed in various districts, including Vungu, Masvingo North, and Mutare North. In Ward 10 of Mutare North, Kraal Head Phanuel Hama Marange is leading beneficiaries of food aid in repairing damaged roads using minimal tools.
Villagers face fines of US$1 for absenteeism. In Bikita South, individuals who wished to benefit from food aid were assigned labor under the food for work program but have not received the promised assistance after two months of work.
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