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Felex Share Senior Reporter

Government yesterday said no political affiliation or identification is required for one to receive grain under the Food Deficit Mitigation Programme. Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Prisca Mupfumira said there was no collusion on food distribution between Zanu-PF and Unicef in Norton constituency where there is a pending by-election on October 22.

This comes after independent candidate in the by-election, Mr Temba Mliswa wrote to Unicef complaining that food distribution was being done on a partisan basis.

In any case, Minister Mupfumira said, Unicef was not involved in the vulnerability assessment and grain distribution to food insecure households.

“The Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare has therefore, noted with concern, false allegations from some individuals suggesting that Unicef is collaborating with the ruling party (Zanu-PF) in the distribution of grain in the Norton constituency,” she said.

“Government wishes to declare categorically that Unicef is not involved in food distribution under the Food Deficit Mitigation Programme.”

She said Unicef was only involved with Government in matters relating to child protection through the implementation of the National Action Plan for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (NAP for OVC).

“In this programme, Unicef implements child protection strategies targeting children and their families,” Minister Mupfumira said.

“The assistance offered by Unicef encompasses among others, the harmonised social cash transfer (HSCT) in which cash is transferred to the household where the child resides.”

She said since the declaration of a state of disaster due to El Nino-induced drought by President Mugabe, drought relief committees were established at national, provincial, district, ward and village levels to coordinate the emergency food response to the food insecure households.

Minister Mupfumira said: “These drought relief structures comprise Government ministries, state agencies, traditional leadership and private voluntary organisations operating in the respective districts”.

She said Norton was one of the peri-urban areas receiving food assistance as approved by Cabinet.