BULAWAYO - Zanu (PF) officials and war veterans in Mberengwa district in the Midlands province are blocking food aid to HIV/AIDS orphans demanding that they should join the partys youth league first.
The inclusive government has embarked on a feeding programme to benefit children orphaned through HIV/AIDS in Mberengwa. The children receive food hampers containing packets of beans, cooking oil, mealie-meal, rice, soap and many other items on a weekly basis.
However some Zanu (PF) officials and war veterans in Mudavanhu area in the district have taken over the programme and are demanding that all beneficiaries should join the partys youth league if they want to continue receiving food.
Sharon Shiri, a former food programme co-ordinator from Zibanga village in Mudavanhu area, who was booted out by Zanu (PF) officials and war veterans for not following their orders, told Radio VOP confirmed that children were being denied food.
The whole project has been taken over by Zanu (PF) and young children, some even below eight years. They are being forced to produce party cards to get food, said Shiri.
Shiri said she was forced out of the project by two notorious war veterans from the area namely Tinashe Zhou and Batanai Hove after she defied their orders.
I had no option but to buy the party card and get food for my two little sisters who are aged nine and six years, said a 14 year-old AIDS orphan from Bvute village under Chief Mudavanhu.
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