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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief

THERE is an artificial shortage of food aid in the Midlands province allegedly being “made” by officials at the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) who are derailing Government programmes.

At GMB depot in Zvishavane, the Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Larry Mavima acting on a tip off recovered 127 tonnes of maize earmarked for the vulnerable people but had been stashed there while responsible authorities said they had run out of food aid.

The development comes at a time when over 176 000 households are in dire need of food aid with the number expected to increase as more people especially in the rural areas run out of food.

Crop production in the province has been affected by recurrent droughts which have left villagers asking for assistance from Government.

The Government has since responded by availing food aid through the Department of Social Welfare but authorities in the Midlands province have unearthed a massive backlog in the distribution of relief maize.

Despite that some maize is being stocked at GMB depots while villagers are in dire need of it in villages.

Minister Mavima has since come out castigating some officials who are allegedly reportedly derailing Government programmes to avail food aid to citizens.

He said the GMB and the Department of Social Welfare should ensure that drought relief aid and other social protection programmes reach the intended food insecure households.

“Let’s not spoil the name of the Government through doing some silly things such as wanting the vulnerable people to starve to death while we are keeping the food aid here. We have people we are employing who want the world to say that people in Zimbabwe are dying of hunger. If you have a hidden agenda, if you have an agenda which goes against policies of President Mnangagwa, then we don’t need you. We don’t want the Government to be blamed bacause of other people who have a different agenda like the one we have. Honestly how can people starve when there is food aid here. Social Welfare , GMB, this is a warning to you, please distribute the food aid as soon as you receive it or else we will let you go home,” he said.

Minister Mavima was addressing officials from the department of Social Welfare and GMB in Zvishavane on Wednesday.

He castigated management at the depot for gross incompetence in the handling of a commodity that is important to the livelihoods of many.

“We are here because we had received reports that there is no more grain available for distribution but to our surprise there is over 127tonnes of maize that could have been distributed to the people at the deport. The reasons given are not genuine and we have directed that the food aid be distributed to deserving people while we wait for other stocks,” he said.

The Minister said President Mnangagwa has reiterated that noone will starve due to food shortages as Government is doing everything in its power to source and distribute food aid.

Minister Mavima also delivered 12.7tonnes of mealie meal in Zvishavane District which is expected to benefit about 1 200 people.