Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
Government has intensified the distribution of food relief to about 176 000 households in the Midlands Province.

Midlands provincial administrator Mr Abiot Maronge said the number of households receiving food aid in both urban and rural areas was expected to increase following the El Nino-induced drought which ravaged the province.

He said 176 000 households were receiving food aid, adding that the number is expected to increase as a lot of people were now feeling the effects of the drought.

“As we speak, Government has intensified the distribution of food aid across the province where we have 176 000 households in need of food aid,” said Mr Maronge.

“The number is expected to increase as we are conducting further assessments so that no one dies of hunger in line with the Government policy that no one should starve or die.”

Mr Maronge said Gokwe North was leading in terms of households in need of food aid, with over 46 500 on the list.

He said there was enough grain for the food relief programme in the province, adding that GMB had identified a new contractor to take the food aid to Gokwe North where there have been challenges in distribution because of the poor road network.

“As part of intensifying efforts to distribute food aid, GMB has engaged a new contractor to service Gokwe North District and part of Mberengwa, which include Mataga, which were being shunned by truckers because of the poor roads,” said Mr Maronge.

“Now, households in Gokwe North and Mataga will be getting their share.”

Traditional leaders in the province hailed the programme, saying it has saved thousands of people from starving.

Chief Chireya of Gokwe North said the majority of people in Gokwe did not harvest anything last year due to floods.

“Last year in Gokwe North we had long dry spells that were followed by floods and in the end the majority of people could not realise anything from their fields,” he said.

“The food relief programme is the one that is helping us a lot in terms of food.”

Chief Ngungumbane of Mberengwa commended the Government-led programme which he said was going a long way in alleviating the plight of villagers.

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