CCC Accuse Zanu PF of Weaponising Food Aid Ahead Of Ward 21 by election Next Month

Centre News Reporter

Buoyant by the recent victory in March by elections, opposition Triple C has accused Zanu PF of using desperate strategies to win the froth coming ward 21 by election in Masvingo west slated for next month by threatening villagers with food aid cuts if they vote again it.

The Nelson Chamisa led citizens movement further claims that the ruling party has gone for broke and is also threatening villager’s heads and traditional leaders to force their subjects to vote for it or they lose their tittles and land.

CCC candidate for ward 21 in the polls scheduled for 25 June, Onias Mawarire, alleged ruling party youths were moving around menacing the ward with their intimidatory and threatening strategies.

“The campaign has just started and we are concerned by the ruling party who are roving around the ward in our 3 villages as well as resettlements area threating the electorate that government and their party would cut food aid if they vote for the opposition. They are weaponising government food aid bought by ordinary citizen’s tax,” said Mawarire.

Mawarire said it is disturbing considering that the areas has been ravaged by the current drought due to erratic rainfall received in the just ended agricultural season.

“This is bad considering that locals here are staring hunger right in the face due to the nagging drought currently ravaging us. The threats may sway opposition voters but we will not fold our hands and watch we are going to sensitize the electorate to resist these threats and intimidation so that they exercise their right to vote a person of their choice without being coerced, “said Mawarire.

 CCC, Senior Champion for Change responsible for mobilization, Jeffreson Chitando, said reports of intimidation and threats had reached their office in Masvingo.

He added that besides using food threats the former revolutionary party is also threating and intimidating traditional leaders and village heads to force their subjects to vote for it or they will lose their entitlements and land.

“We have received several reports of intimidation from ward 21 since our candidate was successfully nominated to represent our movement. It is however an open secret that whenever Zanu pf smells defeat in elections just like in 2008 it resorts to the use of violence and uses food aid as a political tool to force hapless villagers to vote for them. However this time around it will not work, people are tired of these old tricks,” said Chitando

 Center News could not get a comment from, Zanu PF candidate Chenjerai Mumbire to get his side.

But Zanu PF Provincial Chairman, Robson Mavhenyengwa dismissed the allegations as false.

“We don’t use food aid to solicit for votes this is untrue and misleading. Actually our government led by President ED distributes food aid to everyone across political affiliation so those are desperate lies by a party sensing defeat. We also do not use traditional leaders but we are the most preferred party in the country and we are ready to win despite the lies,” Mavhenyengwa said.

CCC’s Warier and Zanu PF‘s Mumbire will battle it out with another independent candidate, Sister Nhando.

The ward fell vacant following the death of Councilor Tinago Mupinga in March this year.