International aid agency Red Cross has began distributing food packages to thousands of starving Zimbabweans on Wednesday. This is part of Red Cross’s efforts to prevent famine in Zimbabwe where there is a general food shortage. There were fears of widespread malnutrition when Robert Mugabe banned donor agencies from working in the country after accusing them of supporting Morgan Tsvangirai in the elections.
The ban on aid agencies was lifted last month.
“Zimbabwe is facing a dire food security situation — one that is widely regarded as the worst on record,” the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said in an update on the food problems in Zimbabwe.
Food packages will be distributed from warehouses in Harare, Bulawayo and Mutare. These include 383 tonnes of food , consisting of maize, beans and cooking oil which will be distributed to vulnerable Zimbabweans in 8 of the country’s 10 provinces. Almost 24 000 people will benefit from the food aid which is part of the $26.8 million food security operation organised by the agency.
President Mugabe has always been accused of using food aid as a political weapon. Hopefully now with the formation of a government of national unity, all deserving Zimbabweans will be able to get food aid irrespective of political affiliation.
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