Starvation, AIDS and violence wreak havoc in Zimbabwe
By Lance Guma
14 July 2008

Four members from the same family died and were buried within 4 days of each other in the Nzvenga Village of Marange in the Manicaland province this past week. On Tuesday Farai died as he sat on a large rock near their family homestead. Although his health status remained unknown relatives said he had not eaten in days and might have starved to death. On Thursday his brother’s wife (Mai Maki) died from complications linked to HIV. With the family trying to come to terms with the double tragedy, Friday was to claim the lives of two more members. This time Farai’s brother died a day after his wife, while their aunty, living 100 metres away from the homestead, also died. At least 12 orphans now have to fend for themselves following the deaths of their parents and guardians.

The village elders, always superstitious, have blamed evil spirits for the deaths but to others it highlights the tragedy of Zimbabwe’s economic, political and health crisis. A combination of starvation, AIDS and in many cases, political violence, are wreaking havoc on local communities. Last month government banned NGO’s from distributing critical food aid, alleging they were campaigning for the opposition. The tragic consequences of that decision are now being felt by the many desperately poor villagers who relied on this food. Marange falls under Mutare West constituency, formerly a parliamentary seat held by Zanu PF but won by the MDC during the March 29 election. It is no coincidence that villagers here have been left to starve, by a regime that has adopted a scorched earth policy with communities they feel did not vote for them.

Government’s endless printing of money which funded repressive structures like the youth militia, has created a hyper-inflationary environment that has made food prices beyond the reach of almost everyone. Most salaries are between Z$20 and Z$50 billion yet its hard to find any basic commodity within that range. A bucket of maize at Mbare Musika is being sold at Z$260 billion, 2kgs of plain flour Z$150 billion, tomatoes Z$44 billion per kg, a chicken Z$207 billion and milk is Z$30 billion per litre. The dairy farmers are complaining that the price of stock feed for their cows far outstrips payment for the milk coming from Dairiboard. They have no choice but to slaughter their livestock, and this is true for all farmers now.