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From George Maponga in Masvingo
Government has instituted investigations into scores of councillors in Masvingo who are accused of corruption in the allocation of drought relief resulting in some families risking starvation after going for months without accessing food aid. Minister for Provincial Affairs Senator Shuvai Mahofa confirmed investigations were underway to flush out councillors and village heads, among other community leaders, accused of charging poor villagers money for them to access food aid.

“We have initiated investigations after receiving reports that some officials especially councillors were charging poor villagers as much as $3 per person for them to access food aid under the pretext that the money is for transport charges. This is unacceptable because the majority of our people in rural areas cannot raise such amounts,’’ she said.

“There is rampant corruption in the distribution of food relief and initial reports are pointing fingers at councillors who are taking advantage of the dire food situation in remote rural areas.

“We have started investigations after receiving reports that the same people in a ward or village were always getting food while others have never received anything, this must stop.’’

Masvingo is one of the provinces hardest hit by food woes with over half a million people in need of food relief amid calls for Government to increase food allocations to the drought-stricken provinces.

There are reports that some impoverished villagers are failing to access the food aid as some corrupt officials, especially councillors and village heads, in the province are charging recipients money for them to access food.

Sen Mahofa last Friday said Government was concerned with the rampant misallocation in the distribution of drought relief by senior officials.

She said those fingered must be severely punished as they were undermining Government efforts to mitigate the effects of the prevailing devastating drought.

Government has since introduced the food for work programme to assist hunger-stricken people to access food throughout the country.

One third of Masvingo’s population requires food assistance with the number expected to shoot up to over 650 000 by December.

The number of people in need of food aid is expected to go further up to nearly 800 000 as more people continue to exhaust food from the meagre harvests realised during the last farming season.

Masvingo is one of the provinces worst affected by food shortages following poor rains in the previous farming season that were blamed on the El Nino weather phenomenon.