Government creates new database for grain beneficiaries

GOVERNMENT is creating a new database for grain beneficiaries in response to complaints that some communities were disenfranchised by the delimitation used in last year’s general election.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) conducted a delimitation exercise which created new boundaries moving some wards from one rural district council to another.

The new boundaries have been blamed for disenfranchising some communities as they were not included in the social department database of their new areas.

Deputy Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Mercy Dinha, denied any political bias in the distribution of food relief and stated that all recipients must register and be included in the new database.

The country is facing a drought brought on by El Nino, meaning that the Government will need to support more households in need.

El Nino caused poor rainfall resulting in most crops wilting due to moisture stress.

“We had a meeting with provincial ministers and secretaries as well as chiefs concerning this delimitation issue to ensure that we have a new database. Where this food is being distributed right now, they are starting with a new registration whereby chiefs as well as village heads are consulted,” she said.

“The registration will ensure that beneficiaries are the people who are currently registered to ensure that we identify any person who may have moved to another place in the ward under the previous delimitation.”

Deputy Minister Dinha said no one will receive food relief without being registered. She said food distribution is an apolitical exercise and non-discriminatory.

“People are considering the current status according to the delimitation. There is no ward that is going to receive food without registration,” she said.

“Registration goes first, then people receive food. When the Government distributes food, we do not consider the political affiliation of a recipient. We distribute food to everyone.”

Deputy Minister Dinha said grain distribution is expected to be rolled out across the country once the Treasury has released funds.

“Right now, we have been given an allocation of $3.7 billion to ensure that we cover registration as well as transporting the grain. With regards to transportation, we have not received all the money,” she said.

“By the time we receive all the money, the process will proceed smoothly. From the figure we were allocated, we received about $8 billion in February, and yesterday we received $3.5 billion.”

She said they have employed people to conduct the registration of beneficiaries.

She said grain is available and they are now waiting for funds from the Treasury to transport it to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB). – @nqotshili