“Before diamond mining, food security in the constituency was stable. The situation changed when diamonds were discovered and government ordered people to stop cultivating their land. Vending stalls in Ward 28, 29 and 30 have been closed by the governments, arguing that the vendors (mostly women) pose a security threat. Major dams in the area have been affected by siltation during the diamond rush and market gardening activities have been disrupted,” says CCDT.
The ZMDC donated 260 tonnes of fertilizer, 137 tonnes of mealie-meal and 60 bicycles to Gilbert Marange, the Acting Chief appointed by Manicaland Governor Christopher Mushowe, to be distributed in the 11 wards, with Ward 16, the biggest, divided into two, making 12 distribution points.
“In Ward 18, on 11 February 2013, Chipo Mwoto, Tawanda Muduri, Elibon Mapuka, Bunjani Muungani and Bvuma Chingoma (all members of the Zanu (PF) Ward executive) took over the distribution of the food from the village head Patikai Muchisi and told him to go away while they worked,” reads the report. It alleges that these members took 100 X 10 kg mealie-meal and 10 X50 kg fertiliser to the village head’s house and told the people waiting for allocation that the food was for the village head.
CCDT names one Chipo Mwoto as having addressed the villagers claiming that Mushowe had given strict instructions not to give the food to MDC-T people since it was him who had begged the food from ZMDC, while those who had benefitted from a Plan International food aid initiative earlier would not get any assistance.
Mwoto allegedly declared that MDC-T supporters should get their food from NGOs or die from hunger. Others named in the report as having taken food are: Buwerimwe in Ward 23, Amos Chingondo, Donald Ngorima, Cashmore Mutsago (also known as Tsikamutanda) and Michael Dukwende; Ward 25, Ndima Masvaure; Ward 10 District Administrator, Gilbert Marange, Cllr Buka Mudede, Cllr Muzivi, Denis Marange.
“The biggest mystery is the whereabouts of 160 tons of fertiliser and 62 tons of mealie meal, which have completely disappeared. Ward 16 was not divided into two distribution points as promised,” reads the report.
Post published in: News