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Shanganis cite tribalism as hunger bites
Godfrey Mutimba, The Standard (Zimbabwe)
November 06, 2005

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/read.php?path=./news/2005/November/Sunday6/&st_id=3290

MASVINGO - The Shangani people of Chikombedzi in Chiredzi have accused the government of deliberately starving them along ethnic lines, allegations that were dismissed by Masvingo governor Willard Chiwewe.

The people said although their district was located in Masvingo, food aid was only being sent to the Karanga-speaking people in the province.

A recent visit by The Standard established that scores of villagers were going for days without food as hunger continues to stalk the dry lowveld region.

As a result, villagers were now buying maize from nearby South Africa to fend off starvation.

"Politicians from the Karanga constituencies in the province get supplies while the Shangani communities are sidelined. If you go to other areas in the province they get food supplies but here we hardly get any due to the fact that we are not Karangas,'' said Sandile Nyaguli.

Villagers said they had been forced to go to South Africa and Mozambique where they buy the grain through the help of truck drivers who bring the maize into the country.

"We are starving. Maize deliveries last came here four months ago and we have been surviving by the grace of God. People have been buying maize meal from our local businessman but now he is no longer getting any supplies.

"The government has failed to provide us with food and we are left with no hope. The only solution is to cross the Limpopo River since we are a little bit closer to South Africa," said 68-year-old Sakile Makondo.

She added that a large number of school children in Chanyenga village had dropped out of school because of starvation.

Chiredzi South legislator, Aaron Baloyi, said the villagers were facing starvation. Appealing for urgent help to Vice President Joseph Msika at his victory celebrations at Chanyega primary school recently, Baloyi said his constituency needed special attention from the government.

"The major problem facing the people of Chiredzi South is hunger Cde Vice President. We last had supplies some months ago and this has forced us to travel as far as Beitbridge and South Africa otherwise we will die," he said.

Another villager, Charles Chauke, said his children were at risk of malnutrition as decent meals were rare.

"If the situation continues like this, many children will die because some of them are already showing signs of malnutrition and several children have dropped out of school. The problem is that our area is always neglected by the government when we are in times of need. If you go to some constituencies the situation is different," he said.

However Masvingo Governor Chiwewe denied that food was being distributed on ethnic lines, saying people who wanted to see divisions emerging on ethnic lines raised such allegations.

"I know what is going on in Chiredzi, there is nothing like that. Yes, there might be food shortages but it is not true that Shangani people are being discriminated. If you go to Gutu or Chivi, you will find that one village may get food earlier than the other. Villages take turns to get their deliveries and that doesn't mean that certain people are being left out. Kana iwe ukasvika kumba sadza rapera ungati ndanyimwa here?" Chiwewe asked.

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