OPPOSITION supporters in Bubi, Matabeleland North are reportedly defecting to Zanu PF in a bid to access government food aid and farming inputs, human rights group Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) has claimed.
BY NQOBANI NDLOVU
This comes amid reports that the government-sourced food aid is being doled out to Zanu PF supporters only, shutting out suspected opposition supporters, a charge that the ruling party has denied.
ZPP, in its latest report last week, said partisan distribution of food aid continues across the country, though there has been a marked dip in food violations.
In Bubi, hungry opposition supporters have been seen crossing the floor to Zanu PF out of desperation in order to access the government sourced food aid.
“During distribution of aid, claims are made that aid coming from government schemes is provided for Zanu PF supporters only. For instance, this report states how some opposition activists were blacklisted from receiving aid in Muzarabani North,” ZPP said. The report did not however, disclose which parties the villagers belonged to, although of late Zanu PF factions have been said to be discriminating each other during distribution of food aid.
“In a sign of desperation, some opposition supporters in Bubi crossed the floor to join Zanu PF to ensure that they get aid. As a result food and other aid violations record the highest statistics,” the ZPP said in its latest reported titled Stifling Dissent.
“The El Nino-induced drought has meant that many people, in both rural and urban areas, depend on food aid to avert starvation and malnutrition.
