|
Matebeleland Villagers Sidelined in BACOSSI Scheme |
|
|
|
Monday, 25 August 2008 |
 A Bulawayo based advocacy organisation, Bulawayo Agenda, says villagers in several districts of Matabeleland have not received any food under the Basic Commodities Supply Side Intervention scheme, which is controlled and directed to Zanu PF functionaries.
A report compiled by Bulawayo Agenda indicates that villagers in Lupane, Victoria Falls, Gwanda and Tsholotsho have not had access to the cheap food.
Bulawayo Agenda said residents from most areas, particularly in Victoria Falls, have complained about the manner in which beneficiaries are being registered.
“Police officers instructed councilors to register people, to give the impression that it was being done in a transparent manner. To the residents’ dismay, only ten percent of the people on the list got the food because the police and shop owners, who are known ZANU PF supporters, misdirected the commodities,” Bulawayo Agenda said in a report.
Bulawayo agenda noted that some villagers were being instructed to share food packages, which were too small to sustain an average family.
“Most villagers were not informed of the times when the food was to be sold and also find fault in the secrecy surrounding its distribution,” Bulawayo Agenda said.
In Victoria Falls, the organisation said in a bid to cover the distribution anomalies, authorities have been distributing 60kg bags of maize, which are shared amongst five people.
Zanu PF supporters who purchased the BACOSSI goods cheaply, are allegedly selling them at exorbitant prices on the illegal black market.
“Villagers in Lupane are buying a bag of sorghum for 250 Rands from those who would have bought it for $30 (revalued). People have resorted to selling their livestock for a pittance, villagers are, for example trading a single cow for 6 bags of sorghum. An average family of at least 8 people is being allocated a 50kg bag of sorghum by the authorities, which cannot sustain them for long,” the report said.
A large number of villagers in Lupane were dependent on food aid provided by World Vision and other humanitarian organisations before the government suspended Non Governmental Organisations' (NGO) activities.
Items provided by BACOSSI include 2kgs of flour, sugar and rice, a 750ml of cooking oil and a tube of toothpaste. All these are sold for a mere $25. (VOP)
 |
Subscribe to this comment's feed
