THE government has said it can do little or nothing to stop schools from demanding groceries as part of tuition fees, Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has said.

BY NQOBANI NDLOVU

A number of schools around the country are now demanding some groceries as part of tuition fees to beat inflation.

This is at a time when the majority of schools have increased their tuition fees several fold citing the hyper-inflationary environment.

Ziyambi told Senate recently that the Education ministry was aware that schools were also demanding groceries, but said it was the duty of parents and guardians to resist such during school development committee (SDC) meetings.

“The question that he has raised can only be addressed at the SDC meetings because that is where the school and parents agree as to how they will charge to ensure that their children can get adequate education. For me to give a substantive answer on issues that the parents have sat down and deliberated on how to ensure that the school provides a service, I would be lying,” Ziyambi said in response to a question by Senator Chief Clemence Nyabvudzi Nembire on what measures government was taking to stop schools from demanding groceries.

Ziyambi added that the Education Act was clear that the Education ministry’s hands were tied on the issue.

“It (Act) says that schools are supposed to sit with parents and agree on the pegging of fees. Those who sit in the meeting are the school and parents and they are the school development association. The consensus and recommendations is what is taken to the Ministry of Education,” he said.

“The response that I gave does not even require the Minister of Education to come and explain to say that at the school called Chipaga, the parents sat down and agreed that they are going to bring cooking oil for their children to get proper food such as chips, but the Minister cannot come in and say no, that is not right. Children cannot bring cooking oil for the children to get chips, but if he was saying that there is a school that has raised fees without the consent of parents, that is a different issue; we can agree.”

HARARE remains gripped with insurmountable challenges including the water crisis, refuse collection, workers strikes and corruption, but Mayor Herbert Gomba said he was pleased with how the local authority worked under his charge to address the myriad of challenges.

BY MOSES MATENGA

Gomba became Mayor last year after the July 30 harmonised elections and vowed to eradicate graft that had become a scourge in the local authority and work towards addressing staff salary problems among other issues.

Though the water crisis has remained a challenge, Gomba said on Sunday he was hoping central government would act to provide foreign currency needed for chemicals and also push for reliable sources of water.

“We tried our best, we reduced debts and now are concerned with the need to fund our water and roads programmes,” Gomba said on the current state of the city.

“Given a chance, we want to borrow $30 million using City Parking dividends to fund our roads programme, borrow against our budget to fund water rehabilitation.”

Apparently, City Parking has increased its charges from $5 per hour to $10.

On staff welfare, Gomba said the local authority has tried to restore normalcy adding that they now should start working hard for the good of the city.

“We tried to restore to normalcy, the true nature of bonus payment to our employees and hopefully they will work hard,” Gomba said.

He said on the water situation, local suppliers should up their game while also hoping government would provide the much-needed resources to ensure availability of the precious liquid.

His comments follow a protracted blame game between the local authority and government over whose responsibility it was to provide water to residents.

Harare says the city was not operating in a vacuum hence the national economic crisis bedevilling Zimbabwe had also negatively affected them.

The MDC-dominated council claimed that because of government failure to provide employment to millions of people, the revenue collection side had been adversely affected hence there was nowhere the local authority could get money.

“We hope the local suppliers will up their game to ensure consistency in supplying all needed for the provision of potable water,” Gomba said.

Residents endured a dry holiday. Water shortages have exposed Glen View and Budiriro residents to typhoid with 13 suspected cases being treated before the holidays.

Gomba said those who owe council, from residents, government and business should pay their dues to finance the service they are in dire need of.

Harare is owed close to $1 billion by business, residents and government and has encouraged the debtors to pay for them to get the desired services.

Observers say despite criticism from some quarters at times, the city had this year managed to improve its operations, reduced illegal vendors in the central business district, paid staff salaries on time.
The city has also forged a partnership with central government in trying to come up with a solution to the water crisis.

LAWMAKERS have been urged to come up with a whistleblower law in order to promote public disclosure of corporate malpractices in State-owned enterprises (SOEs).

BY VENERANDA LANGA

This was said in a recently published survey by the Southern African Parliamentary Support Trust (Sapst) and the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (Zimcodd) on SOEs performance and compliance survey.

The survey used a sample of 31 SOEs in the country and collected data using in-depth interviews.

“The research found that 33,3% of the entities had a whistleblower policy, while the remaining 66,7% did not have any,” the report read.

“Whistleblowing raises awareness on activities that are detrimental to the performance of an organisation. It could be reporting on a case of theft, or it could be a report on an incident of grand corruption, it is part of promoting good corporate governance by organisations,” it said.

Sapst and Zimcodd said whistleblowing was a major aspect of the principles under the Public Entities and Corporate Governance Act which have a provision for the development and implementation of a whistleblower policy by the public entities.

They said in their survey they found that it was the larger companies that tended to have some whistleblowing platforms.

“For example, organisations such as Zimra and Zesa have some hotlines through which they encourage any member of the public to report, for example, on corruption or theft of copper wires. An increase in the practice of whistleblowing concepts could, therefore, lead to enhanced accountability and transparency by office bearers in particular, and the public at large.”

The researchers said for corporate governance to be effective, it should be supported by a comprehensive and effective whistleblowing framework, but the challenges in Zimbabwe were that whistleblowing is not legislated and is left at the level of SOEs.

“Such a framework would have facilitated exposure of misconduct and corporate malpractices. The Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development in 2015 underlined that the protection of whistleblowers who disclose wrongdoing in the public sector was recognised as the core of the public sector integrity framework.”

They said it was essential to safeguard public interest and to promote a culture of public accountability.

“In Zimbabwe whistleblowers do not have protection, with the situation compounded by the Official Secrets Act (Chapter 11:09) which prevented employees of SOEs from disclosing information about activities happening inside their enterprises. This made the public disclosure of corporate malpractices by potential whistleblowers in SOEs a risky endeavour,” the survey said.

BY LORRAINE MUROMO
The music industry was robbed of one of its legends, Oliver Mtukudzi who made history on the arts sector, which saw him being accorded the national hero status for his contribution to the sector.

On a sad note

The year saw the lucky escape of award winning hip hop rapper T-Gonzi, who was involved in a car accident which most claimed was an assassination attempt.

Comebacks

With some artists almost wiped out of existence by the incoming and energetic replacements, 2019 has seen the comeback of some of the industry’s giants such as Alick Macheso who featured on Freeman’s song Ngaibake.

Soul Jah Love also came back with a bang featuring on Queen Vee’s Song, Vavengi and releasing some songs of his own. These songs include Kana Ndafa, Zviri Pandiri Zvihombe and Hokoso which breathed new life into Zimdancehall and saw him reclaiming his throne as the Zimdancehall godfather.

New voices on the terrain

The industry also witnessed the introduction of some powerful female voices such as Gemma Griffiths who has done a runner of songs with Winky D, Charlie Kay and Ammara Brown, to mention a few.

Charlie Kay was also one of the artists who hogged the limelight this year engaging in collaborations with the likes of Trevor Dongo. Plaxedes Wenyika awoke from her long term hibernation to offer her new song Zvekare.

Confused can also be acclaimed to have risen to fame with his song Handichambokufunga featuring rapper T Gonzi. Talking of powerful voices, Garry Mapanzure and Hilzy of the Muroora fame also shone brightly by scooping an R n B and soul award with their song Tv Room.

Hits

The year saw the magical come back of sungura superstar ba Shero nee Alick Macheso through the release of the song Ngaibake, which has been trending on local radio stations, car stereos and various entertainment platforms. The song topped the charts of most radio stations.

Other hits released this year include Sadza Nemuriwo by Jah Prayzah that has captured the hearts of music lovers both young and old. There was also MuGarden by Winky D featuring Gemma Griffiths, who also went on to feature on Tichichema by Ammara Brown. The song is currently topping the charts.

HKD boss Freeman could not be played over and he released his debut album Gango which was well received by fans. The album features songs such as Waimutambisa, Ngaibake featuring Alick Macheso, Musiye and Makanika featuring Soul Jah Love’s estranged wife, Bounty Lisa.

Talking of hits, it would be amiss not to mention Kwandinobva by songstress Tammy would be an understatement. The song, which talks of the Zimbabwean culture, has been trending on social media such as YouTube amassing about 427 000 views.

Nutty O stepped up to the game and was no exception with his songs Vroom, Prove Dem Wrong and dream Team.

Vee Mampeezy featuring Dr Tawanda, famous for cover songs done by other artists, this year also rocked the music scene with a track titled Dhumalana which became a national anthem for children across the country. In the gospel arena, artist Janet also excelled with the release of such songs as Muri Mwari, Nyasha NeNgoni, and Ndimi, leaving no doubt that this woman is unmatched when it comes to gospel music.

Anticipation

Following the sizzling album releases one could think that they have seen it all; however, there is hype all over the country over the release of Winky D’s much anticipated albums, set for the December 31.
This has left fans eager to taste what has been brewing in the cooking pots. Famed for releasing award winning songs, especially at the end of the year like the popular Disappear song a few years back, this album will has generated lots of interest. Does the musician still have what it takes to charm the pants off his fans? That is what we are left to see.

Madness

The year has also been characterised by drama which saw some artists engaged in what can be classified as madness. After too much fame went to their heads they were now taking things to the extreme.

Talking madness of this year, Enzo Ishall is one of the artists who can fit the bill. Since the release of Smart Rinotangira Kutsoka, Kanjiva and Magate, Vanodherera, and Matsimba things seemed to be going well for the artist until recently he released the song Highest Score under the patronage of the much acclaimed prophet, Passion Java.

The song saw much negative flake from music fans who termed it satanic and that the musician had totally lost track of his career. Things couldn’t have gotten worse when he recently released the song Ngoro featuring a Rachel. That was when it was clear that he had completely lost the plot.

Anyway it’s up for debate: Is Enzo Ishall out of his depth? Is he really mad? Or its just creativity gone sour?

Inappropriate attention seeking

Going nude seems to have taken the cake this year with some musicians caught up in nudity scandals. This year saw RnB sensation Trevor Dongo in nude pictures that went viral on social media, but the singer defended the pictures saying they were done as part and parcel of a music video he was working on.

Conclusion

In light of these developments, one can safely conclude that despite the loss of legends such as Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi, which was tragic, the sector also experienced some good memories, events that will forever be etched in the minds of music lover across the country.

CHILDREN in resettlement areas are still learning under deplorable conditions, including tobacco barns and animal shelters, Primary and Secondary Education minister Cain Mathema confirmed to Parliament. The revelation drew condemnation from legislators who said the government was not serious about education.

BY VENERANDA LANGA

In a ministerial statement issued recently on his behalf in the National Assembly by Youth, Sports and Arts minister Kirsty Coventry, Mathema said poor infrastructure was one of the reasons that led to the 0% Grade 7 pass rate at some schools in Matabeleland North and South provinces.

“Teaching and learning space in some schools is still grossly inadequate. For example, some schools are still using tobacco barns and grass-thatched classrooms, animal handling facilities and other schools are operating without specialist rooms like design and technology laboratories or workshops,” Mathema said.

“More resources will also be required for the construction of teachers’ accommodation and continuous training of teachers in the competence-based curriculum.”

MPs were riled by the issue of children learning in barns and animal handling facilities.

Lindiwe Maphosa (MDC Alliance Proportional Representative MP) said it was a shame that 20 years after independence, there were children still learning in barns.

“My observation is that most of these schools with a 0% pass rate are from Matabeleland South and North provinces and that these are resettlement areas where the land reform programme happened during the 2000 era,” Maphosa said.

“There are also situations, where four classes share the same room and a teacher has to teach with four classes learning simultaneously. We need Mathema to clarify why we still have situations like that in our country 20 years after independence?”

Maphosa said this did not show that the country was serious with education and ensuring that schoolchildren from disadvantaged families have adequate learning infrastructure.
Gokwe Chireya MP Torerayi Moyo (Zanu PF) said when Mathema appears before Parliament as it resumes sitting in February, he must explain the relationship between the 0% pass rate and the poor infrastructure, where pupils learn in barns or animal shelter.

In 2017, just like in 2018, a total of 29 schools in Matabeleland North province were recorded as having a 0% Grade 7 pass rate.

In 2019, 32 schools were recorded as having attained a 0% pass rate in Matabeleland. Out of those 15 were from Matabeleland North, 10 from Matabeleland South, and seven schools from Bulawayo.

MEMBERS of the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) have told President Emmerson Mnangagwa that they want government to fund their 2020 operations which include money for all-terrain vehicles and sitting allowances.

BY BRENNA MATENDERE

Polad which brings together the ruling Zanu PF party and leaders of fringe parties that participated in the 2018 presidential elections — in their report presented to Mnangagwa after feasting at his farm last weekend, say it was critical to get funding from government since there has not been any since the formation of the platform in May this year.

Nixon Nyikadzino, the secretary-general of the Thokozani Khupe-led MDC-T party, in his brief said: “Of course, in any engagement and any intervention, you face challenges and it is a reality. One of the difficulties we noticed was around funding issues. It’s something that we need to quickly work around and say this is how Polad is going to be funded and ensuring that those who attend Polad can actually say this is our project and with resources available can trace targets till 2022.

“So that is a challenge you may need to engage Your Excellency and find ways of dealing with the issue of funding this big and national project.”

Mnangagwa pledged to fulfil the demands.

“In May thereabout when we created Polad, we had no direct funding. But now this is a platform which government must support because it brings harmony, it brings peace, it brings development in the country. Development, modernisation and industrialisation has a cost, so I am not averse to funding Polad because it brings convergence of political and economic views for our country to move forward,” Mnangagwa said.

He did not say how he intends to raise funding for the platform seen by many as a talk shop with no political or economic benefit.

Eighteen political parties were represented at the Unity Day meeting including the National Constitutional Assembly led by Lovemore Madhuku, People’s Rainbow Coalition leader Lucia Matibenga and MDC-T lead by Thokozani Khupe.

These parties garnered less than 2% of total votes in the 2018 elections.

Zimbabwe’s biggest opposition party MDC and a few small parties have refused to take part in Polad talks.

The demands come at a time when government is struggling to deal with Zimbabwe’s biggest economic crisis in a decade. The southern Africa country’s economy is seen contracting by 7,2% this year and has shortages of everything from fuel, electricity and medicines. It also faces labour unrest after inflation rose to 480% in November, leading to frequent price hikes while wages have remained stagnant.

BY VENERANDA LANGA
Question and answer sessions have been some of the major highlights of Parliament as they are usually robust, expose MPs lack of research, and mostly expose ministers’ ignorance of policy issues under their purview and their bunking of the sessions.

In Zimbabwe, these are done on Wednesday in the National Assembly and Thursday in the Senate.

Since these are broadcast live on national television, MPs and Senators that are usually mum during debates of Bills and motions take part in question and answer sessions.
However, most of the questions asked by MPs are usually pertinent and touch on issues that affect Zimbabweans.

Bunking of question and answer sessions by ministers

In 2019, ministers were perennially absent to take questions from backbenchers in the National Assembly and Senate. Innocent Gonese (Mutare Central MP) and MDC chief whip Prosper Mutseyami constantly raised the issues with Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda of absence of ministers during Wednesday’s question and answer sessions.

The Speaker was never defensive of the truancy by ministers in Parliament despite him being a member of the ruling Zanu PF party.

In September, Mudenda wrote to President Emmerson Mnangagwa twice, advising him of the truancy of his ministers during question and answer sessions in Parliament.

This was after a handful of ministers had availed themselves in Senate and the National Assembly to take questions from MPs. On average, around 10 ministers and deputy ministers avail themselves for question and answer sessions. As a result, most questions that are specific to their ministries end up being responded to by the leader of government business in Parliament, Ziyambi Ziyambi.

The effect has been that although Ziyambi is well versed with different government policies, he might not specifically know everything. For example, if an MP wants to know if stophavine and donus are good anti-retroviral treatment drugs, Ziyambi as a legal person might not be able to give a satisfactory response to that issue which needs a health expert to do so.

Mudenda even described the absence of ministers as appalling and pathetic, adding that it was high time that truant ministers were charged with contempt of Parliament.

Section 139 (d) of the Constitution allows for the questioning of ministers and deputy ministers by MPs in Senate and the National Assembly, while section 107 (2) of the Constitution also compels every Vice-President, minister and deputy ministers to attend Parliamentary committees and the House to answer questions from MPs.

Despite the Speaker’s letter to the President in September, ministers continued to bunk the sessions and no minister has ever been charged with contempt of Parliament for truancy.
This is despite that when ministers were appointed soon after the removal of the late former President Robert Mugabe, they promised to hit the ground running and to be different from the old era of ministers who were also known for truancy.

Every Wednesday, Mudenda reads a list of ministers who would have given apologies and cannot attend question and answer sessions due to foreign travel or other commitments.

Senate president Mabel Chinomona and her deputy Michael Nyambuya have also expressed utmost dismay over truancy of ministers during Thursday’s question and answer sessions.

In September, Nyambuya said: “It is most regrettable and I can assure you that we are going to bring this to the attention of the President. We obviously have some ministers who are on duty elsewhere, but I am sure and convinced that there are other ministers somewhere out there who did not come for question and answer session.”

Every Thursday in Senate, Chinomona and her deputy Nyambuya have to announce the names of the ministers present as if it is a big favour that they are present.

Ziyambi under pressure to respond to policy questions on behalf of bunking ministers

Whenever ministers are not present, or have bunked Parliament question and answer sessions Ziyambi as leader of the House, is then asked to respond on behalf of those absent ministers. But the problem is that Ziyambi cannot be expected to know everything.

For example, on January 30, 2019, Gwanda North MP Madodana Sibanda (Zanu PF) had a question directed to the Lands and Agriculture minister Perrance Shiri or his two deputies Douglas Karoro and Vangelis Haritatos, but they were absent. They were not also announced on the Speakers’ list of ministers that had tendered their apologies to be excused from question and answer session.

Sibanda had to refer the question to Ziyambi: “What is government policy regarding the use of third tier farms – farms that are meant for grazing only because some of the farms are being subdivided into plots?”

Ziyambi, as Justice minister, could not answer the policy question which needed specifically any of the three agriculture ministers.

His response was: “I request the MP to put the question in writing because it is a specific question.”

On the same date, Norton MP Temba Mliswa asked a mining question to Ziyambi.

“Is the leader of government business aware that there is a ruling of the Supreme Court which bars Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) from mining in Marange? There are also recommendations from the Portfolio Committee of Mines which recommended that ZCDC is an illegal entity and that the concessions must go to the former owners. Is the President aware of this before his approval of the diamond policy?”

The Mines minister Winston Chitando and his deputy Polite Kambamura were not present and Ziyambi was forced to respond.

“I will bring it to the attention of the minister so that he can come back to the House with a more informed answer which speaks to the judgment of the Supreme Court,” Ziyambi responded.

These two examples show that it is important for ministers to avail themselves for question and answer sessions so that they respond to policy questions pertaining to their ministries.

Written questions with notice

It is disappointing that due to truancy of ministers at question and answer sessions, most written answers to questions, which are actually questions asked in advance and printed on the Parliament Order Papers have been deferred – most of them have clocked several months without being responded to.

For example, Parliament National Assembly votes for September 4 2019, show written questions with notice that were deferred from June and July, which means that the responsible ministers had not responded to the questions from MPs for three months.

For instance, Chitungwiza North MP Godfrey Sithole (MDC Alliance) asked a written question with notice to Local Government minister July Moyo on June 12 which was not responded to for three months and continued to appear on the National Assembly Order Paper in September.

The question had asked Moyo to give an update on the number of people on the housing waiting list for Chitungwiza Municipality.

Another example is a written question by Mhangura MP Precious Masango (Zanu PF) who wanted Shiri to apprise the House on measures being taken to curb the alleged corruption involved in the selling of maize at a Grain Marketing Board depot in Mhangura.

Masango’s question was asked on June 12, 2019 and by September 4, 2019 it still appeared on the National Assembly Order Paper because it was not answered.

These are just examples as there are several written questions pertaining to serious economic and political issues that have clocked months on the National Assembly and Senate Order Papers without being responded to by ministers. Every week, they would be deferred.

For some questions, the First Session of the Ninth Parliament came to an end without them being responded to by the responsible ministers despite that they were written questions with notice.

Significance of question and answer sessions

The United Kingdom House of Commons information office says parliamentary question and answer sessions are significant as they allow MPs to hold members of the Executive to account.
“They allow Members of Parliament to hold the government to account, using either oral questions to ministers in the Chamber of the House of Commons or written questions,” they said.

Written questions are made in advance and they appear on the Order Paper. These allow MPs to ask for information from ministers on their work, government policies and even the work of government departments. MPs can also ask about developmental issues pertaining to their constituencies, for example, an issue about lack of schools in their constituencies.

The Southern African Parliamentary Support Trust in its paper on questions and answers in Zimbabwe’s Parliament said the question without notice segment is confined to policy issues, where backbenchers quiz ministers on policies under their purview.

However, MPs are allowed to further probe if the minister does not give a satisfactory answer by asking supplementary questions related to the question.

Too many MPs in the National Assembly

The fact that the National Assembly has 270 legislators has made it very difficult for an MP to be chosen by the Speaker and be given a chance to pose a question without notice. However, a better plan was devised whereby political party chief whips write down names of their MPs who will ask questions.

However, some MPs who are very vocal and hardworking have always taken every chance to be noticed by the Speaker through asking supplementary questions.

In Senate, those Senators that have never asked any questions are probably very lazy because they have no problems of numbers.

Quality of questions asked during question and answer sessions

While MPs are given induction training as soon as they are sworn in, some have been very slow in mastering Parliament procedures, and the do’s and don’ts of question time.
For instance, on several instances, Mudenda has embarrassed different MPs for asking a question which has been asked and responded to before.

Some of the most common repetitions by legislators are questions on partisan food aid, agricultural inputs, and others which Mudenda has often had to remind MPs that the question was asked the previous week. This exposes that some MPs do not read, research, or they ask questions so that they can just be recorded as having said something in Parliament by the Hansard.

Senators also have the habit of asking ministers on Thursdays, the same questions that would have been asked by MPs in the National Assembly on Wednesdays.

MPs have managed to raise good questions on the economic quagmire, human rights issues, cash shortages, constitutional issues, access to sanitary wear for girls and several other important issues.

For example, on January 30 soon after people were shot during the fuel protests, and this was followed by gross human rights abuses, Ziyambi was asked very challenging questions both in Senate and National Assembly on the human rights situation in the country.

Quality of responses during question and answer sessions

Some questions raised by MPs in Parliament also expose ministers’ ignorance and lack of knowledge of their ministry policies.

On several occasions, Ziyambi has rushed to the rescue of ministers and their deputies who show lack of understanding of their portfolios or government policies.

Vice-Presidents’ failure to attend question and answer sessions

Section 107 (2) of the Constitution reads: “Every VP, minister and deputy minister must attend Parliament and Parliamentary committees in order to answer questions concerning matters for which he or she is collectively or individually responsible.”

Vice-Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi never attend question and answer sessions. During the Government of National Unity the late former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his two former deputies Arthur Mutambara and Thokozani Khupe used to attend question and answer sessions in Parliament and took questions from MPs.

Gonese raised the issue of non-attendance of the two VPs at question and answer sessions.

“Ever since we started the Ninth Parliament I do not recall a day when any of the two VPs attended question and answer sessions and I am not sure whether they are aware of section 107 (2) of the Constitution to attend Parliament and answer questions. Can you also make a follow up on the VPs,” Gonese said.

Mudenda responded: “I have not received any explanations, but I have asked the Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda to phone the chief secretary to Cabinet Misheck Sibanda to ask where the ministers are.

“Let me also advice the House that this has been the worst non-attendance by ministers and whatever answers we get from Chokuda, I will make sure this gets to the attention of the President,” Mudenda said.

THE World Food Programme (WFP) says the country was facing another famine after the 2020 harvest was hit hard by continued dry spells.

BY PHYLLIS MBANJE

The WFP said it was appealing to the international community to raise over US$200 million to feed more than half the country’s population next year.

“We are ready to step up — but we urgently need the international community to step with us! More than US$200 million is still required for us to feed those in need,” WFP tweeted on Sunday.

The 2018/2019 season in Zimbabwe according to WFP, was affected by one of the worst droughts in recent history which has left about 7,2 million people in need of food aid.

Most parts of the country have received little rain over the past few weeks throwing the farming community, still reeling from last year’s drought, into panic.

Meanwhile, WFP in Zimbabwe recently completed its last cash distribution of 2019, which supported some 19 000 vulnerable residents in Harare’s sub-urban district of Epworth.

Those deemed most food insecure have been receiving monthly cash transfers from WFP since June, as part of an urban pilot project funded by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development, and the EU’s branch of European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations.

But WFP spokesperson, southern Africa, Gerald Bourke recently said about 60% of Zimbabweans, who have been receiving cash, now prefer food due to price hikes. According to a scale used to measure famine, or the gravity of food insecurity, about four million Zimbabweans are not far from famine.

This was the first time WFP provided assistance to an urban area in Zimbabwe.

Next year, WFP will expand its urban assistance programme across eight districts, nationwide. It will continue providing cash-based transfers on a monthly basis, to those who need it most.

As a result of this year’s severe drought, economic downturn and Cyclone Idai, around 7,2 million people were pushed into severe hunger.

Of this total, 2,2 million people live in urban areas. WFP’s revised emergency response plan hopes to provide mobile cash transfers to 200 000 people. Currently, funding for 100 000 has been secured. WFP is seeking funds to assist an additional 100 000 people.

Government last week revealed that it was planning to do cloud seeding early next year to mitigate against drought.