A Woman commits suicide over Baccossi goods

The woman identified as Mai Tarwa who is a mother of 3 and hails from Moyoweshumba village, Mutasa Central constituency in Manicaland province. The woman was devastated when she visited Moyoweshumba primary school where Baccossi goods were under distribution and was disowned by her headman identified as Moyoweshumba who told her that he doesn’t know her and she does not reside in his village and this resulted in the woman failing to buy Baccossi goods. The headman claimed that she was an ardent active member of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in her constituency therefore she not was eligible to get Baccossi goods. In rural areas, headmen are given the authority and permission to identify eligible households that are facing hunger and poverty so that they benefit and be cushioned from hunger by goods distributed by the government under Baccossi in the rural areas. However, it is displeasure to note that many people are denied access to food in this current economic crisis just because they are exercising their democratic and god given right of supporting political formation of their choice.

Because of the current economic meltdown that is currently characterizing the country, the woman hoped that the Baccossi goods would resuscitate her household supplies and be able to feed her children but was surprised by the headman’s behaviour. After been turned down and devastated, she went straight to hang herself on a tree near her household.  These events show that the ruling Zanu PF government has politicized food aid distribution in rural areas and are persecuting MDC supporters using Baccossi food.

Youth Forum condemns the behaviour shown by headman Moyoweshumba as the goods are national goods that are purchased using tax-payers money and everyone is entitled to access them mostly in these difficult times of economic meltdown that has increased the vulnerability of 80% of the total population to hunger and poverty.

Youth Forum Information Department