MDC United Kingdom province has donated basic commodities and drought-tolerant agricultural inputs to poor and vulnerable villagers in Shurugwi South.
BY BRENNA MATENDERE
Shurugwi is one of the districts worst ravaged by drought, leaving thousands of households food insecure. The majority of villagers are also unemployed while the few who lead decent lives depend on mining activities mostly in disused chrome claims.
Searchmore Muringani, the MDC Midlands provincial deputy spokesperson told NewsDay that the donations by the party’s UK province had changed lives in Shurugwi South.
“Our party members this week donated blankets, clothes as well as millet seed and drought-resistant maize seed to villagers in Shurugwi South. Six villages which have over 100 people each received the handouts and appreciated the efforts by the MDC to assist in such difficult times,” he said.
“What was pleasing is that villagers accepted these handouts despite belonging to different political parties which shows that slowly the fear among them is going away.”
Muringani also revealed that the Mkoba MDC women’s league had put together other materials that were also donated to villagers in Shurugwi South.
Josiah Makombe, the MDC Midlands province chairperson said his party had noted the hardships villagers were facing in the area during a rally held recently to drum up support for its candidate Mary Choga who will stand against Zanu PF’s Edmore Junior Chatira in the December 14 ward 6 by-election.
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“We held a rally in the area recently to canvass for votes for our candidate in the coming by-election. It was at that time that the villagers cried out for assistance and pointed out that they were being affected by the drought and bad economy. So we had to act upon that distress call,” he said.
Makombe, however, refuted allegations that the donation was a vote-buying gimmick.
“Even villagers from outside the ward where there is no by-election benefited, so it was not vote-buying. It was pure humanitarian assistance,” he said.
