OPINION: ED Is Misleading Diplomats That Food Aid Is Not Being Politicised

Kenedy Kaitano writing for The Zimbabwean said the president was misleading diplomats that food aid was not being politicised because it is being politicised and the president was doing nothing to stop his MPs from distributing food along party lines. Kaitano also said food donors were supposed to distribute food in front of all political parties to ensure fair distribution.

Kaitano opined:

Our immediate priority as government is to guarantee food security by ensuring that all the vulnerable households throughout the country have food”, Emmerson Mnangagwa told diplomats accredited to Zimbabwe early February 2020. However, his members of parliament and officials are on record denying members of the opposition food.

However, Mnangagwa has been silent when Zanu PF, including Parliamentarians, have been seen on camera openly saying that the members of the opposition will not be given food assistance. Not a single one of those wayward officials has been reprimanded.

A recent report by the Movement for Democratic Change following an assessment visit indicated that politicisation of aid and farming inputs has seen known MDC supporters who have critical needs being deprived. The report went further to say some of the community members reported that government Ministers who include Perrence Shiri had visited the community and politicised the crisis by threatening MDC supporters and denigrating the MDC President Advocate Chamisa resulting in known MDC members became targeted and excluded when farming inputs were distributed. The MDC report cannot be denied given the hard evidence that has been provided before.

The United Nations and the Diplomatic community must as Mnangagwa what guarantees there are that food assistance will not be politicised when it is already being politicised and Mnangagwa has not lifted a finger at his wayward officials. Food donors must be allowed to distribute food aid in the presence of representatives of all political parties as Zanu PF governments are hypocritical and always try to pull the wool over the eyes of the international community. Until Mnangagwa is heard reprimanding his wayward officials, his word should never be trusted.