MDC Press Statement - Government heeds President Tsvangirai's call to unban NGOs

The government has heeded a call by President Morgan Tsvangirai for the immediate lifting of a ban on the provision of food aid in the country by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

On Thursday President Tsvangirai wrote a letter to the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Nicholas Goche, on the need for urgent humanitarian assistance in light of rampant starvation across the country.

President Tsvangirai said due to the massive starvation stalking the country, the government should immediately address a letter to all NGOs unequivocally countermanding its instruction, to allow urgently needed humanitarian work to be carried out in the country.

On Friday the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare issued a statement notifying all NGOs involved in humanitarian work that the ban on food, medicine and recovery and development work had been lifted.

Thousands of Zimbabweans across the country are in need of food aid and the MDC has been receiving reports on the rampant starvation across the country.

The MDC also hope that government would not use the distribution of food as a political weapon. Food aid should be disbursed in a non-partisan manner.

MDC Information and Publicity