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Munyaradzi Musiiwa Midlands Correspondent
GOVERNMENT had started distributing food to over 170 000 households in need of food aid in the Midlands Province.

Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Larry Mavima said the beneficiaries require about 100 000 tonnes of maize to sustain them until the next harvest.

“I would want to reiterate Government policy and what President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said on many occasions that no one will die of hunger in this country. We have adequate food in our strategic grain reserve to feed those that are food insecure. In the Midlands province we have 170 290 households that need food aid.

“This translates to 8840 tonnes of maize per month. We have been able to provide this food since the beginning of the year to all these households. We have food allocations that go to districts on a monthly basis,” he said.

Minister Mavima said the aid is being distributed through the department of Social Welfare which works hand in glove with councillors who are assisting in identifying those in need of food aid.

He said Government is prioritising child headed families, the elderly, the disabled, widows and the generally vulnerable.

“We are prioritising child headed families, the elderly, the disabled, widows and the generally vulnerable. The food will be at the Grain Market Board (GMB).

Urban dwellers are also getting food. Last week we had a situation where school pupils fainted in some of the schools in urban centres and we had to intervene as Government.

“We approached the schools and provided food for those children. We asked the schools to approach the department of social welfare and get assistance,” said Minister Mavima.

He said Government will decent on those abusing food aid and discriminating people based on their political affiliation amid abuse claims which are said to be rampant in Gokwe North and Mvuma.

“Community leaders who take it upon themselves to decide who gets food and who doesn’t that is not Government policy. The policy is that anyone who is in need of food aid regardless of their political affiliation, race, creed or religion they are entitled to food aid. There is no discrimination in the distribution of food.

“We had such situations in Mvuma and Gokwe where community leaders were found to have carried out such practices. I am glad that the Human Rights Commission is seized with the matter and those implicated are being investigated.

Once the investigations are concluded appropriate action will be taken by Government,” he said.