Govt directive could hamper relief efforts

Aid groups in Zimbabwe were awaiting clarification of a directive issued by the government that would see the distribution of international food aid shift from relief agencies to local government and village authorities. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) on Wednesday confirmed that the new directive, "Policy on Operations of Non-Governmental Organisations in Humanitarian and Developmental Assistance in Zimbabwe", was issued by the ministry of public service, labour and social welfare last week. According to the local Daily News the directive reads in part: "The beneficiaries of the NGOs food distribution programme will be selected from the ward/village assembly and neighbourhood committee registers." WFP's regional spokesman Richard Huggins told IRIN: "WFP can confirm that it has received this document, and we are seeking clarification with the relevant authorities as to the implications of the new policy directive." World Vision (WV), a WFP implementing partner, added that the issue was "extremely sensitive" and the NGO would reserve comment until the government had responded to a request to clarify its position. WV's Zimbabwe director, Rudo Kwaramba, said: "All those who are likely to be affected by the directive have sat down to discuss the repercussions the regulations may have on our operations. However, distributions have continued as normal and we continuing to manage a very difficult situation." Aid agencies estimate some five million Zimbabweans will require food aid by January 2004. Food shortages have been blamed on erratic weather, the effect of the government's fast-track land reform on commercial agriculture, and the impact of HIV/AIDS. The main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has objected to the directive, saying NGOs were "justified in trying to protect their independence". "In Zimbabwe the only real currency at the moment is food. The implications of this directive are extremely worrying, as it gives the government free rein over who receives food and who does not. The country really does not need this at this juncture, especially since it is the NGOs who are keeping the most vulnerable communities afloat," MDC spokesman Paul Themba Nyathi told IRIN. The Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, July Moyo, had dismissed concerns that village leaders would be biased in distributing relief aid. The Daily News quoted Moyo as saying: "They (the NGOs) have always been working with the headmen, so nothing has really changed. All we are saying is that the NGOs should use local structures such as chiefs, headmen and councils, because these are the people on the ground. Everything else will remain the same. But no international donor can tell us that the government should not be involved in food distribution when we are the ones who asked for the food in the first place." Nyathi also raised concerns that donors would react negatively to the possibility that the government could seize control of food relief distribution. "International donors may be reluctant to assist the country, should the directive be implemented, especially since there have been incidents where government supporters have been given preferential treatment when it comes to food aid." Human rights groups and the MDC have accused Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF of using food aid as a political weapon against opposition supporters. The government has dismissed the accusations.