Zimbabwe: Masvingo blitz team grabs relief food
Police have seized food earmarked for relief aid from a warehouse in Masvingo as part of the crackdown on the business sector, sources say. Aid agency sources told The Financial Gazette this week that police arrested the manager of a Blue Ribbon Foods warehouse, which stored relief supplies sourced by CARE, an international non-governmental organisation (NGO).
Financial Gazette, 19 July
Masvingo blitz team grabs relief food
Kumbirai Mafunda, Acting Political Editor
Police have seized food earmarked for relief aid from a warehouse in Masvingo as part of the crackdown on the business sector, sources say. Aid agency sources told The Financial Gazette this week that police arrested the manager of a Blue Ribbon Foods warehouse, which stored relief supplies sourced by CARE, an international non-governmental organisation (NGO). Police proceeded to seize the consignment although CARE had formally notified Masvingo Provincial Governor Willard Chiwewe that the group had stored foodstuffs at the warehouse pending distribution to starving villagers in the area. In Mashonaland Central, NGO officials report that police impounded and ordered the sale of a truckload of cement that World Vision International (WVI) was distributing to schools in Rushinga. Lazarus Dokora, Member of Parliament for the area, however, intervened to stop the forcible sale of the cement after a WVI officer sought his assistance.
The crackdown on NGOs follows government's threats to swoop on aid groups it claims are stockpiling foodstuffs to hand out to opposition supporters before next year's elections as part of what the ruling Zanu PF government sees as an international plot to effect regime change. Aid officials say the current crackdown on relief agencies is reminiscent of what happened five years ago when soldiers impounded food stocks stored at a United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warehouse. "What is happening now in terms of searching for perceived hoarders mirrors what happened in 2002 when the UN food basket at the UNICEF warehouse was forcibly taken by the army and the (UN) Secretary-General had to intervene. The President had to apologise at a meeting in New York. What was taken was given back," said one official. To prevent further food seizures, NGOs this week suggested that humanitarian coordinators should get a letter from the Social Welfare Ministry authorising them to provide aid. To do this, they would need to store supplies in appropriately leased warehouses with the knowledge of relevant government or provincial authorities. Officials said the letter would enable them to store or transport supplies.