adminTHE Government will give priority to vulnerable groups comprising the elderly, sick, people living with disabilities and children in the distribution of food, President Mugabe has said.
Speaking at the 21st February Movement birthday bash at the historic Great Zimbabwe Monuments yesterday, President Mugabe said most people throughout the country have had their crops succumb to moisture stress due to lack of water.
He said Government is seized with the food situation in the country and has started importing grain.
“I know it has been a bad year from the point of climate. The agriculture season has not been well and we have to ask for help as we seek for maize and other forms of grain.
“I know it has been a bad year for most farmers but we will give priority to the elderly, disabled, the sick and children who do not have the means to fend for themselves,” said President Mugabe.
He said Government will do its best in making sure that no one dies of drought adding that presently maize is available although there are challenges in transporting the food to the intended beneficiaries.
“Cde Josiah Hungwe was telling me that the food is available but it is not enough. Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Prisca Mupfumira is here, you can talk to her, the issue will be addressed.
“We shall certainly manage to go through this bad patch. The year 1992 was equally bad that some trees just dried up for lack of water-moisture,” he said.
President Mugabe said although the country was in need of aid Government will not stoop low and embrace gay rights as a condition for assistance.
He also denounced men who sexually abuse children and said they deserve sterner punishment.
“In other countries when a person steals he will have his hand cut and that should apply to men who rape young children — three, four, five years old. I do not understand the kind of punishment these people want. You give them 10 years, it’s not enough they continue to commit the crime, bhadhiso, bhadhiso,” said President Mugabe.
Bongani Ndlovu