Zanu (PF) officials in Matabeleland South are allegedly also muscling their way into food distribution programmes, denying maize to villagers in Gwanda constituency suspected of belonging to the opposition party.
Villagers told The Zimbabwean that Zanu (PF) had also taken over control of ward committees charged sourcing maize from the GMB on behalf of villagers.
Villagers in each ward elect a six member non-partisan and apolitical committee that sources maize from the GMB on their behalf. But Zanu (PF) has replaced the committees with members with ruling party links who allegedly do not register villagers suspected of having MDC links.
MDC secretary for Matabeleland South, Petros Mukwena confirmed saying: “Mpofu is going around threatening villagers saying that if they do not vote for Zanu (PF) they will not get the maize from GMB and Zanu (PF) claming that it belongs to the ruling party not the MDC. Mpofu and other ruling Zanu (PF) thugs are also using chiefs as a way of making people believe that what they are doing is legitimate since chiefs wield immense support in rural areas.”
mpofu denied the allegations saying: “As you are well aware we are going for elections and every one will try getting mileage from something like this.” – Pindai Dube
Post published in: News