adminWalter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
VICE PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has moved in to assist displaced Chingwizi villagers receive government food aid by providing transport to ferry the grain from Rutenga.
The maize availed by the government had remained stuck at Rutenga Grain Marketing Board depot for some months owing to lack of transport.
Village heads, who received the maize on behalf of their people, expressed gratitude to government for responding to their pleas for food aid.
They said their situation had become unbearable.
Village head Langton Magwizi said about 3,000 families received food aid from last week with each family getting a 50kg bag of maize.
He said out of 67 villages only two, Mahwandavaka and Nungira, were yet to receive their share.
Magwizi said indications were that the two villages would have received their food aid by early next week.
Chingwizi villagers are originally from Chivi district, Tokwe-Mukorsi Dam area. They were displaced after the area was hit by raging floods that saw them being evacuated to Chingwizi in March, 2014.
“We’re elated that government has eventually provided us with relief aid since we have not yet started farming. Since our arrival in this place early last year from Tokwe-Mukorsi Dam in Chivi district, we have been surviving on food aid from government,” said Magwizi.
“The remaining two villages were supposed to get their share today (yesterday) but I’m told the delivery lorry had a breakdown. They will receive their share by next week.”
Ward 13 councillor who is also the Zanu-PF candidate in the forthcoming Mwenezi East parliamentary by-election, Cde Joshua Moyo, hailed Vice President Mnangagwa for providing transport to carry the food aid from the GMB to Chingwizi.
“I want to thank our Vice President, Cde Mnangagwa, for organising transport for the transportation of maize from the depot to the beneficiaries. Chingwizi people were facing starvation as the grain remained at the GMB depot due to transport challenges until our Vice President intervened. Now the Chingwizi villagers have food. We’re now happy and want to thank government, especially VP Mnangagwa for ensuring that our people would not starve,” said Clr Moyo.
Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Senator Shuvai Mahofa said government is seized with the plight of the people of Chingwizi.
“While we have alerted the relevant powers that the whole province, save for a few districts, are in dire need of food aid, Chingwizi remains the main focus.
“We all know what happened at Tokwe-Mukorsi. Noone will starve in this province. We want to thank Cde Mnangagwa for providing transport,” said Senator Mahofa.
Online Reporter