Food politicisation escalate on the rise in Zimbabwe ahead of 2018 election

The Zimbabwe Peace Project has reported that there has been an increase in the cases of food politicisation in Zimbabwe as the country draws close to the 2018 elections.

The organisation said the political environment in Zimbabwe has for years seen a rise in the politicization of food aid and agricultural inputs all of which are distributed on partisan lines to the benefit of mostly Zanu PF supporters.

"Perceived opposition supporters and loyalists have over the years continued to be sidelined during the distribution of government sponsored aid, resulting in food being used as a political weapon to lure votes. A disturbing trend has been noted by ZPP as the right to food is flagrantly violated. Non ruling party supporters are denied food and other aid on the basis of their support or perceived support for opposition parties," ZPP said.

"The discrimination in the allocation of food aid adversely affects the poor and marginalised groups as they depend on food and other aid for survival in the face of drought and other food deficiencies. In 2016 ZPP recorded a total of 355 food violations between January and December 2016. The figure is indicative of a much bigger problem on the ground hence the need to urgently curb."

ZPP said the practise of distributing food and other aid in a partisan manner is not new in Zimbabwe and it tends to increase towards elections.

"ZPP has been continuously monitoring and documenting this practise since 2006," said ZPP.

"Relief aid over the years has come in many forms with the common being food aid handouts, agricultural inputs, school fees assistance and other aid for the chronically ill. There has been a deliberate manipulation of relief aid by political actors to further political objectives of one political party against another. Various patterns and trends have been noted in the partisan distribution of relief aid throughout the country as aid is being used as a political weapon to lure voters by Zanu PF and in the process punish those holding dissenting voices."

ZPP said the distribution of food aid and agriculture inputs among other forms of aid, has been hijacked by Zanu PF functionaries in most communities.

"The systematic checking of attendance registers of Zanu PF meetings, the demand for Zanu PF membership cards and the chanting of Zanu PF party slogans before accessing relief aid, have all worked in the denial of relief aid to deemed opposition supporters. This has been common across all the provinces in Zimbabwe. In some communities where people receive food aid after working some have been denied food even after investing their labour on community projects. The existence of selective ways of distributing food aid after work, has compunded the plight of vulnerable citizens deemed to be supporters of opposition political parties," said ZPP.

"Discrimination of the elderly during relief aid distributions has also become a common feature governing food aid distributions. ZPP has recorded cases where the elderly were denied food aid that was initially meant for them and other vulnerable groups after Zanu PF leaders hijacked the distribution process and converted the aid to loyal Zanu PF youths. The elderly in many communities have also been excluded from these processes and denied food aid on the pretext that their children work in cities and towns."

ZPP said hate language has accompanied distribution of food and other aid as would be beneficiaries who deserve assistance have been told ‘no mother suckles the child of another' and ‘you can go and get from your own leader'.

"Citizens have been treated in a way that is degrading and inhuman where they are asked to chant slogans before they receive food and other aid. The problem is nationwide and cases have been recorded in all provinces although in varying numbers," said ZPP.