Starving villagers eat beer residue, berries

nutritional gardens have dried up owing to poor rains.
Evelyn Vhudzi of Vhudzi village faces the prospect of starvation.
The woman, who is unsure of her actual age but looks to be in her late 70s, is dejected with the way the ruling Zanu (PF) has let down people in the constituency.
“I look after my three grandchildren whose both parents died five years ago of HIV/AIDs related illness. I do not have food to look after them. We are now surviving on Sadza mixed beer residue,” she says.
She says the poor rains resulted in some locals having a fairly good harvest of sorghum, a fairly drought resistant cereal used in the preparation of a traditional opaque beer.
“Can someone out there talk to Mugabe to just handover power to those that can rebuild the country. We have had enough, we are starving, and there is no salt, cooking oil, sugar, maize meal, even relish. The list is endless,” she moaned.
She says a few days ago she was refused treatment at Hama Hospital after she failed the required fee for her sore legs and failing eyesight.
“Despite my pleas I was told no money no treatment. Others at the hospital who had paid were diagnosed but were not given at drugs as they were told there were not available.”
Equally distraught is Morgan Dhewa who says the locals are now surviving on wild fruits such as matohwe and other wild berries.
“There is no much hope here as some non-governmental organizations such as CARE International have scaled down on food hand-outs. We hear the government wants to take-over the exercise,” he said.
The Zimbabwe government has often refused food aid from outside insisting the country has adequate maize, however of late it has been importing the staple food. – CAJ News