Shop operators fleece drought-stricken villagers in Chipinge

THOMAS MADHUKU

CHIPINGE- Local Business people at Checheche Growth Point are short changing desperate drought stricken villagers by charging exorbitant prices for maize and mealie meal.
Chipinge was strongly hit by drought resulting in many villagers turning to shop operators who are hoarding maize and mealie meal reselling at high prices, ranging from seven to ten dollars for a 20 kg bag of maize.

“The local shops are selling maize and mealie meal at unaffordable prices, we do not even know how we will survive up to April when we finally harvest from our fields,” said Rhoda Mudhadha from Checheche.

Most villagers in the area complained about the behaviour of traders who are out to make a fortune from their desperate situation. “We did not harvest enough last season so they are taking advantage of that,” lamented Laiza Sithole another Checheche villager.

In 2011, Chipinge was hit hard by drought, a situation that has become common in eastern border area, leaving most families at the hands of merciless business people out to maximize from their desperate situation.
Commenting on the situation, Ward 24 Councillor, Zekias Sithole bemoaned the heartless behaviour of business people who take advantage of Chipinge’s drought situation. “Our survival is now in the hands of business people who seek to capitalise from our hunger situation,” Sithole said.

A report by the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZIMVAC), a government-led consortium of UN agencies, official bodies and non-governmental organizations which conducts annual food security assessments, found that 12 percent of the rural population “will not be able to meet their minimum cereal needs during the 2011/12 season”.

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