Nkosentsha Khumalo
Villagers of Ward 23 in Matobo District, Matabeleland South Province, are experiencing a dire hunger crisis with only 15 employed people among the over 200 households in Kungeshabe village.
Those who are employed are struggling to feed their families.
The shortage of food and employment opportunities has resulted in widespread malnutrition and health issues, prompting residents to call for urgent government intervention.
Officials from the Zimbabwean government are still yet to respond to the situation, but villagers fear that without immediate assistance, the crisis could become more severe, threatening their very survival.
The situation has worsened to an extent that some villagers are now resorting to desperate measures to feed themselves and their families.
Some have turned to selling off their remaining assets, such as livestock or household goods, in exchange for food.
Adding to the devastating effects of the hunger crisis, other villagers have alleged that they have not received any of the food aid promised by the Zimbabwean government.
Despite efforts to distribute food aid in Matobo District, residents of Kungeshabe say they have not seen any relief, leaving them struggling to survive.
Zim GBC News has learned from a source close to the situation that a former aspiring Member of Parliament for Matobo North District, Kudakwashe Zulu that the government used to provide job opportunities to at least 10 people per year in the village of Kungeshabe through the Social Welfare, but this practice has since stopped, leaving residents with few options for earning a living.
When contacted for a comment, Ward 23 Councillor Joseph Sibanda confirmed that only 15 people out of 228 households in Kungeshabe village are employed.
“It is true that there is a village with a total of 15 employed among 228 households. According to the Social Welfare and District Development Committee, this issue is known and they have stated that it will be addressed, although it is unclear when this will occur due to the new law stipulating that the Councillor should not be involved in matters concerning employment in the ward.
“It appears that the selection process for the limited job opportunities in the village is flawed, with individuals using their personal connections and the status of their households as registered by social welfare to secure these positions. The Councillor is only involved when these employees fail to receive their salaries, which is currently the case. This problem is compounded by the village’s growing hunger crisis, which was declared a national disaster by President Mnangagwa.
Despite this declaration, residents have not seen any improvement in their situation, leaving them in dire need of assistance.”
When asked about the maize being distributed to the country’s hungry, by the government as a mitigation measure, Councillor Sibanda said,
“In my ward, I am not aware of any official food aid program being carried out by the government. The only thing I heard of was the distribution of a single bucket of maize to each villager from the Chief, but councillors were not involved in that process and were not informed about it beforehand. Councillors again are not involved in this distribution let alone being informed that such distributions will take place in their wards.”
Tshinde Mpofu, a 75-year-old resident of Kungeshabe village, expressed his disappointment and frustration with the current state of affairs.
“The government has abandoned us,” Mpofu expressed.
“Years ago, there were plenty of employment opportunities for our village, including at Maleme and Natisa. Now, only a handful of people are lucky enough to secure jobs. We don’t understand what has changed. Our village has a large population, but the majority of us are left without work or assistance.”
To add insult to injury, Mpofu continued,
“I am 75 years old and have only received a single bucket of food from the government, which was passed through the Ward Centre and attributed to the Chief. This is hardly enough to support myself, let alone my family and neighbours.”
Another villager Killion Masuku, confirmed that only 15 households out of 228 have employed members in Kungeshabe village, despite the fact that names of unemployed villagers have been collected by the village development committee.
“It’s true that there are 228 households in our village, but only 15 of them have employed members, despite the fact that the village development committee has collected the names of unemployed villagers,” said Masuku.
“This has been going on for the past two consecutive months of August and September, and as villagers, we have no idea what is causing this lack of employment opportunities.”
“The situation is extremely difficult for us,” Masuku continued.
“We only survive by the grace of God, and we must remember that there are elderly people living with orphans, who have no other means of support. Without government assistance or job opportunities, these vulnerable members of our community are at risk of starvation and destitution.”
Matobo District Administrator Obey Chaputsira was unreachable for comment on the situation in Kungeshabe village, despite repeated attempts to contact him.
When asked about the job opportunities and food aid in Kungeshabe village, Chaputsira ignored the questions and did not respond, even after multiple requests for a statement.
As of the time of publication, Chaputsira had still not provided any comment or clarification on the situation.
The situation in Kungeshabe appears to be dire, with villagers left without the basic necessities to survive and few options for employment.
Despite government declarations and promises of assistance, the village’s residents are struggling to make ends meet.
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