Zimbabwe parties unite to pass Bill

This motion is about hungry people who need help, says chief whip as vote passed

HARARE

Zimbabwe’s warring parties temporarily put their differences aside to support a parliamentary motion to declare the critical food shortages in the country a national disaster.

This comes amid increasing concern that the delayed implementation of a power sharing deal between President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF and two opposition groups has worsened the gripping food shortages in the country.

The bitter rivals have failed to agree on the allocation of ministries in the inclusive government and tensions have been escalating in the past week after opposition leader, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai boycotted a regional summit called to address the impasse.

Humanitarian organisations and relief agencies say over three million people need urgent food assistance.

The agencies say the figure will more than double before next year’s harvest around April.

Supporting a motion by the main Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), calling for the government to urgently engage the donor community to alleviate the impact of hunger, the ruling Zanu PF said the issue went beyond partisan politics.

Mr Mugabe’s government banned all humanitarian organisations from distributing food in the run-up to the controversial June 27 presidential run-off election.

Although the ban was lifted after the signing of the 15 September power sharing agreement, aid agencies say they still face difficulties reaching out to starving villagers because of government bottlenecks.

“Yes we accept that there is hunger in the country,” said Mr Rugare Gumbo, Zanu PF’s chief whip. “This motion is not about political parties but about people who feel hungry and are Zimbabweans.”

Analysts say the food shortages, now in their eighth year are as a result of Zanu PF’s chaotic land reform programme that turned Zimbabwe from a bread basket of Africa to a basket case.

Worst affected villagers are said to be now surviving on wild fruits and tree leaves.