Zimbabwe govt officials loot food aid

Two officers from the Ministry of Public Service, Labour, and Social Welfare in Guruve, Mashonaland West Province, have been arrested for allegedly stealing food aid meant to support villagers affected by drought. 
The officers, Mutsa Sibanda (36) and Mazvitaishe Maisiri (26), are accused of misappropriating 31 bags of wheat designated for distribution to villagers in Ward 19 under the Government's Rural Food Aid and Urban Cash Transfer programs.
The theft reportedly took place on August 12th at Negomo Primary School in Guruve. The incident was brought to light by Ward 19 Chairperson, Headman Kazunga, who noticed discrepancies in the distribution process. Kazunga revealed that the officers had ordered local leaders to stay away from the distribution, which led to the exclusion of many elderly and vulnerable residents from receiving aid.

Kazunga expressed concerns after attempting to advocate for the excluded individuals, only to be dismissed by the social welfare officers. The matter was reported to the authorities, leading to the arrest of the suspects.

Inspector Milton Mundembe, the provincial spokesperson for Mashonaland Central, confirmed the incident and the ongoing investigation under case number CR 76/07/24. He praised the local leadership for their cooperation and urged the public to continue providing information to the police to ensure transparency.