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Food crisis will top our priority list: Tsvangirai
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
October 28, 2008

President Morgan Tsvangirai this weekend expressed shock at the high level of starvation that has hit the people of Zimbabwe across the country and pledged that once in government the MDC would place the food crisis on its priority issues. President Tsvangirai made this assessment when he addressed three report-back rallies in Marondera and Manicaland on Saturday and Sunday.

The President addressed the Marondera rally on Saturday before moving to Manicaland where he addressed two rallies at Sakubva Stadium in Mutare in the morning and at Mutungagore business Centre in Makoni South in the afternoon. At the three rallies, the people narrated harrowing experiences on how they and their children and the aged; are going for days without food and have to survive on wild fruits.

There was a touching moment at Mutungagore Primary School in Nyazura, near Rusape on Sunday afternoon when President Tsvangirai was given hacha (wild berries) to eat. Ordinary Zimbabweans are now now engaged in running battles with wild animals for wild fruits as an estimated 5,5 million people face unprecedented starvation nationwide. Addressing about 20 000 people at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera on Saturday, President Tsvangirai said he was saddened to note that the people of Zimbabwe were going for days without food. He told the crowd told that the levels of hunger had reached unprecedented levels as people were competing with animals to eat wild fruits while others were dying at home due to starvation.

"I know you are suffering and once the MDC is in government, I will put the food crisis as a first priority," he said. The Zanu PF regime has barred most aid organisations from distributing food aid in the country. President Tsvangirai said the MDC was still committed to the power sharing deal with Zanu PF provided that ministries were shared equitably. "We are very much committed to an all inclusive government not under Zanu PF conditions, but under an equitable power sharing arrangement," said President Tsvangirai.

On Sunday, President Tsvangirai addressed a rally at Sakubva Stadium in Mutare where he also made a commitment to the deal. Over 30 000 people attended the Sakubva rally. "There is nothing wrong with the deal but the problem is that Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF want to grab all key ministries," he said. Later in the day, President Tsvangirai made a stopover at Mutungangore where he addressed over 10 000 people. The people told the president that it had become a daily battle to find food in the area. President Tsvangirai has been addressing feed back rallies across the country explaining the party's position on the political settlement signed by the three principals of the three major political parties on 15 September 2008. Other rallies have been held in Harare, Bulawayo and Masvingo.

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