Zanu-PF members use dead people's IDs to steal food aid

Some Zanu-PF supporters in Ward 19 of Zaka Central are up for stealing social welfare food aid by misrepresenting that they have more kids than they actually have, with them even using deceased people's identity cards to get aid.

Sources within Zaka Police confirmed the incident and said the matter was now being handled by the police law and order department in Masvingo.

Ward 19 Councilor Albert Mazvanya confirmed the incident and said there were plenty of similar incidents in the district and his ward but he could not help the situation as he was being sidelined as an opposition councilor.

"I am aware of the matter and I heard that the people were arrested then released but the matter is still ongoing. I checked with the police and I was told that the matter was now with the CID law and order department.

"The challenge is, I don't have a say in the distribution of social welfare aid. The programme is being held by ZANU-PF which is using a woman's quota Councillor to run affairs in my ward," said Mazvanya.

He said the party chairperson Farai Rupondo and another lady identified as Nyaradzo Chimbwari who works at Jerera Satellite Clinic are the ones in charge of compiling lists that they submit to social welfare and they use none existing people to get the food which they share amongst themselves and other like-minded.

"Getrude Chakona used a dead person's ID to get food aid since old people get first preference. She used her deceased relative Getrude Madekwana who died in the 1990s and would have turned 100 years this year if she was still alive.

"She also registered her husband as a beneficiary with five children meaning the family got two allocations at the expense of others," said Mazvanya

Another suspect Otilia Chisenga who has one known child is said to have registered five children under her name and another suspect Esther Munyeketi who stays alone and has no known child in the community also registered five children.

Chimbwari is alleged to have registered her domestic worker as a beneficiary despite the fact that they are from the same household.

Other sources said the matter only came to light after some factional fights within Zanu-PF in the districts that led to one exposing others.

The matter is not only unique to Zaka as there were other Zanu-PF local leaders were arrested together with social welfare staffers for stealing aid in Gutu.