Zapu deplores partisan distribution of food aid

It has come to our notice that residents of Bulilima East, Ward 19, Zihwabeni-Springfontein area are being denied welfare food because of actual or suspected membership of or sympathising with political opposition parties. It is our understanding that this welfare programme involves distributing 50kg of maize is a government initiative aimed at alleviating famine in the affected regions.   It would not surprise us if the programme is partly or wholly donor-funded by external and internal agencies. We have no issue about the source of the much needed help to struggling citizens of Zimbabwe. This programme caters for any households with one or more members classified as senior citizens with age 60 years and above. It's original aims are noble and we as Zapu, would like to give credit where it is due. On this occasion, the normally inept and inefficient Zanu pf led government has got it right. It is a laudable gesture for this usually hard-hearted ruling party to spearhead efforts to soften the blow of hardship faced by our fellow citizens. The problems faced by ordinary hard-working Zimbabweans are perpetuated by chronic unemployment, years of poor agricultural yields due to droughts and the extremely expensive and unaffordable scourge of the US dollar currency in an ailing Zimbabwean economy.

We would like to believe that this is not a Zanu pf policy per se which is being used to discriminate which mouth to feed based on political allegiance and not on the gnawing hunger pains experienced by our unfortunate fellow citizens. Even by Zanu pf standards, this would be scrapping the barrel of low morals, to use food aid as a cheap vote-winning tactic. As everyone knows, Zanu pf was our junior partner in the liberation struggle that led to independence from our then colonial masters. Both Zapu and Zanu pf fought against social injustices in order to establish a just and fair, egalitarian post-colonial Zimbabwe. Our suspicions are that the current trend of distributing welfare food to only card-carrying Zanu pf supporters, their relatives and their friends, who may or may not be party members themselves, is not official Zanu pf stance. We are confident that this malpractice is instigated by corrupt, local community leaders who have misunderstood  the the Zanu pf ideology (sic). We believe these Zanu pf minions have over bloated political egos and an overstated sense of self-importance . In Ward 19, Bulilima East, specifically at Zihwabeni-Springfontein, this appears to be the case. The chief culprit minions are in the sad form of Mr Simon Sibanda (Zanu pf councillor ) and Mrs Thandiwe Ndlovu  (nee Moyo), a Zanu pf stooge charged with overseeing the welfare of the local villagers in the said area.

Zapu would like to take take this opportunity to alert Zanu pf and their government that we are aware of what some of their appointees are up to. These dirty tricks are being used to target all opposition parties. That includes Zapu, MDCs, ZPF, Mavambo-Kusile and the various pro-democracy parties challenging Zanu pf policies and their system of administration that has brought Zimbabwe's economy to its knees. This case of Zihwabeni-Sprinfontein in Bulilimamangwe highlights a negative recruitment strategy by Zanu pf as this party is turning a blind eye to what is happening while paying lip service about fighting corruption and social injustice. We believe that this practice is prevalent in most rural areas of Zimbabwe and explains Zanu pf's stranglehold in these regions. This is certainly not an isolated incident.

Zapu remains committed to improving the lives of our people. Zapu advocates for the respect of all those freedoms enshrined in our constitution. We continue to promote respect of Human Rights. Denying fellow Zimbabweans food on the basis of actual or perceived affiliation to opposition political parties infringes those rights. ZAPU hereby demands a public response and announcement denouncing the deliberate starving of the residents of Zihwabeni-Springfontein. Specifically we demand an official response from the regional co-ordinators of this programme. We also demand that the Zanu pf councillor, Mr Simon Sibanda and the local welfare  officer, Mrs Thandiwe  Ndlovu, offer a public explanation of their role in starving their own neighbours for political expediency.

Zapu  calls for a unified response from all opposition political parties whether or not their members are directly affected by such devious political strategies.  Together let us take the fight to Zanu pf and show them that there is a ‘bottom line' and that we are not prepared to stoop below this level. We taken this stand for the sake of our sanity, dignity and our survival. Aluta continua. Zhiii.