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UNDP wasn't stopped from assessing food situation: Made
The Herald
May 21, 2004

AGRICULTURE and Rural Development Minister Cde Joseph Made yesterday dismissed reports alleging that Government had stopped a United Nations Development Programme team from assessing the food situation in the country.

"Those who are saying that the team was withdrawn from the field should provide the evidence if they have it and I would like to be shown that evidence," he said.

Cde Made said this in response to a question by Harare South MP Mr Gabriel Chaibva (MDC), who wanted to know why the Government had stopped the UNDP team from assessing the food situation if claims by the State that there was enough food were true.

"I would like to emphasise that it is the member country which conducts the food field assessment and then gives its crop assessment and Zimbabwe has given its final crop assessment figures," he said.

The Government, Cde Made said, had already made it clear that there would be enough food for the country this season.

Cde Made said the Government would never go back on the land reform programme as this was being done lawfully.

He said this in response to a question by Mabvuku MP Mr Justin Mutendadzamera (MDC) who had asked why the Government had acquired farms such as Kondozi Farm in Odzi in Manicaland province.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Cde Patrick Chinamasa also dismissed reports alleging that some Zimbabweans were dying of starvation.

"It is a lie that some Zimbabweans are dying of starvation and we have not been shown one Zimbabwean who has died out of starvation," he said.

The minister said this in response to a question by Mufakose MP Ms Paurina Mpariwa (MDC) who had asked why the Government had stopped the donor community from assessing the food situation and alleged that some people were starving to death.

Cde Chinamasa said it was clear that there were some organisations and individuals that had been thriving on food aid and wanted to continue ripping.

"It is a lie that Zimbabweans are starving and the lie is intended to please their masters. When the need for food aid arises again in the future, we will engage those organisations," he said.

Zimbabwe is expected to produce 2,8 million tonnes of maize this season of which 1,2 millions are expected to be delivered to the Grain Marketing Board.

Cde Chinamasa said there were currently about 5,6 million voters on the voter’s roll and the on-going voter registration exercise was meant to cater for those who had not registered before.

He said this in response to a question by Kuwadzana MP Mr Nelson Chamisa (MDC), who had asked the minister to clarify the position in regard to the voter registration.

Cde Chinamasa dispelled rumours alleging that the Delimitation Commission had been appointed, saying it would only be appointed when there are major transfers of prospective voters from one constituency to another.

The minister said the resident ministers who had been appointed in Harare and Bulawayo would deal with governance issues such as drought relief and social services while the city councils would concentrate on service delivery.

"A city council has to work with the Government of the day not like a misguided missile. We do not have problems with the Bulawayo City Council but with the Harare City Council because it thinks it is the Government of the day," Cde Chinamasa said.

He said this in response to a question by Nyanga MP Mr Leonard Chirowamhangu who had asked why the Government had appointed resident ministers for Harare and Bulawayo.

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