Councillors urged not to interfere with relief aid

CHIPINGE District Development Co-ordinator, Mr William Mashava, has called for the de-politicising of relief aid programmes.

Mr Mashava’s sentiments follow an outcry by some Chipinge residents claiming that some politicians had hijacked the registration process of vulnerable members of the society in need of food aid.

He said only civil servants are responsible for registering vulnerable people.

“We have received a lot of complaints on irregularities during the registration of vulnerable members of the society in need of food aid during this lockdown period.

“Government policy is clear and states that only civil servants are responsible for the registration and distribution of relief aid. If any aid comes, it is only civil servants in the line ministries who must register the beneficiaries.

“People should not be deceived by some individuals who claim to be their representatives. There is always a help desk when relief is distributed from developmental partners or Government. People should make use of this desk to register their complaints,” he said.

Chipinge Central Member of National Assembly, Mr Ray Machingura, who is also the Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, urged district heads to frequently monitor the distribution of relief aid to residents.

He highlighted that his ministry is working with tertiary institutions to manufacture sanitisers and face masks for mass distribution.

“My ministry is working with tertiary institutions in Manicaland to produce sanitisers. The Ministry of Health and Child Care said it needs millions of face masks to distribute to the people, a move which can only be achieved if locals produce them,” he said.