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Bacossi
distribution erratic
Bulawayo
Agenda
August 20, 2008
20 August 2008
Bulawayo
Bulawayo Agenda is hosting a public meeting under the theme: "Interparty
Talks: Deadlock Or Deal Sealed?" The meeting will be on Saturday
23 August 2008 at the Rainbow Hotel starting at 1pm to 5pm. Invited
panelists are Mr Peter Baka Nyoni, Dr Goodwill Shana, Pastor Lucky
Moyo and Mr Morrison Sifelani and will be moderated by Mrs Anastasia
Moyo. All are invited and admission is free.
Lupane
Lupane Agenda regrets to announce the death of Phahlani Moyo, who
died at the age of 118. Moyo was laid to rest at his home in Lupande
village yesterday. He was very instrumental in many projects that
were organised by Lupane Agenda the most notable being the culture
and democracy rural outreach project undertaken last year. During
discussions, Moyo was a fountain of knowledge on the cultural roles
of traditional leaders and he showed concern on how the politics
of the country has led to their erosion. He is survived by 25 children
and 107 grand children. May his soul rest in peace.
Victoria
Falls
A number of villagers in the district have not yet received any
food from the BACOSSI scheme. As a way of rectifying this anomaly,
authorities have been distributing 60kg bags of maize which are
being shared amongst five people. Villagers are complaining that
this is unfair since BACOSSI hampers offer more in terms of variety
and that the items more affordable to them. The hampers are preferred
to the maize since they offer basic necessities now only available
in the black market at exorbitant prices.
19 August
2008
Lupane
Villagers are buying a bag of sorghum for 250 Rands from those who
would have bought it for ZW$30 (revalued). People are selling their
livestock for a pittance, 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. Some villagers have gone for days without food and others
have even gone to the Lupane Agenda offices to ask for food. A large
number of villagers depended on food provided by World Vision and
other humanitarian organisations before the government suspended
their activities.
Gweru
Nkosinathi Mangena, Zvishavane based activist, had his house was
burnt down by suspected ZANU PF supporters on 15th August. The house,
which was totally destroyed in the blaze, was set alight while Mangena
was still at work at around eight o'clock at night. He only
discovered that his house had been destroyed on getting home from
out of town where he works. This is the second attack on Mangena.
Before the June 27 elections, he was beaten up by suspected ZANU
PF thugs and left for dead. The activist has indicated that he fears
for his life to the extent that he intended to leave the country.
Meanwhile, those
who are purported to be MDC supporters are being denied food provided
under the BACOSSI scheme at Zvishavane, prominent among them, Nkosinathi
Mangena. A blacklist of such people has been prepared and to date
they have not benefitted from the scheme. BACOSSI basic commodities
are sold from Ceyara Primary School in the mining town.
Gwanda
People in Gwanda are complaining over how the food provided through
the BACOSSI scheme is not reaching everyone. Residents are being
asked to share a package which already is too small to sustain an
average family. Most villagers were not aware of the exact time
when the food was sold and also find fault in the secrecy surrounding
its distribution.
18 August
2008
Tsholotsho Millers
have hiked the prices of mealie-meal from $600 billion to $3 trillion
per bag and this has seen people resorting to wild fruits like umsosobiyane
and ihabahaba. In the past people have had to spend nights queuing
for mealie-meal to no avail and now that prices have gone up villagers
have resorted to buying umsosobiyane which is sold for $100 (revalued)
at Nsuza and for $200 (revalued) at Tsholotsho. This wild fruit's
seeds are not meant to be swallowed but children ingest them with
the hope of getting satisfied. This has led to a number of children
suffering from severe constipation to an extent that one child was
hospitalised.
Meanwhile, villagers
are expecting the BACOSSI scheme to deliver basic commodities either
this week or during the next week. Villagers have agreed that the
food should be sold in specific villages at a time to avoid a situation
like the last one where ZANU PF supporters hoarded the food and
went on to sell it in the black market. Amongst the items provided
by BACOSSI are 2kg bag of flour, 2kg bag of sugar, 2kg bag of rice,
750ml of cooking oil and a tube of toothpaste. All these are sold
for a mere $25.
Victoria Falls
The town's residents have complained about the BACOSSI scheme
registration done by ZANU PF aligned officials. Police officers
instructed councillors to register people with the intention of
making people believe registration was in the hands of impartial
people. To the people's dismay, only 10% of the people on
list got the food because the police and shop owners, who are known
ZANU PF supporters, misdirected the commodities.
Visit the Bulawayo
Agenda fact sheet
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