A man only identified as an informal trader has written to Hopewell Chin’ono, a Zimbabwean journalist and filmmaker, asking for food assistance saying the indefinite extension of the lockdown has worsened his predicament.
The man said that he is a married informal trader with two children. The plea comes after president Mnangagwa on Saturday extended the lockdown indefinitely.
Chin’ono says the extension “is devoid of a social welfare plan,” adding that many families are starving in the cities. He accused the Minister of Finance, Professor Mthuli Ncube for ‘lying’ that he was providing a ZW$200 social welfare net to vulnerable people.
We present below the message that was purportedly sent to Chin’ono.
Good morning sir, mungandibatsirawo here, I’m in the informal sector pane kwandingawanewo here rubatsiro rwechikafu ndapererwa. Ndine mhuri vana 2 nemudzimai. Hapana kwamunozivawo here kunobatsirwa vanhu varimuchimiro chakaita sechangu. Extension yaitwa pa lockdown iyi ndabva ndapererwa please help. [Good morning sir, I need help, I’m in the informal sector, do you know where I can get food aid, i’m hopeless. I have a wife and two kids. Do you know of any place where people in a scenario like mine can get help? The extension of the (COVID-19-induced) lockdown made me lose hope. Please help.]
Certainly an unconditional allowance not less than a 6000RTGS on Poverty Datum Line and basic food handouts [mealie meal, rice; toiletries (tissues, bath soap and wash powder, tooth paste, vaseline), sanitizers, cooking oil, salt, cabbage, fish, meat. tomatoes and onions, firewood] should be an unconditional basic entitlement due to every Zimbabwean through the COVID -19 phase. Urgently the Government through Parliament should have long ago at least settled this as other governments are doing world over, rather than always making pronouncements. Actually it is duty of the government to avail these provisions as basics. The basic 6000 RTGS above PDL allowance and the food package is unconditional and a great component of the Human Rights Fundamental Liberties. Certainly it is rational to give these handouts and not to count on philanthropists for they cannot manage the whole nation or give all basics. This should be a lesson to our Government that Savings and Productive Investments in industry are an all time necessity. Short of this people are literally neglected starving and dying in greater than COVID-19 casualties due to absence of this facility for all by the peoples government. God bless
By all logic over the COVID -19 phase, Government should provide unconditionally every Zimbabwean household, rural and urban a 6000 rtgs monthly allowance above the Poverty Datum Line and a basic food items package with mealie meal, rice, flour, cooking oil, cabbages, tomatoes, beef, fish, matemba, onions, toiletries-tissues, washing and bath soap, firewood, vaseline, salt, candles. This should be given unconditionally to every household irrespective of party affiliation, totem or tribal affiliation for we are all God’s people, equal citizens. Assistance given by other people, organizations [local, international ] and philanthropic people and organizations should not at all be counted on as what is provided may not be a full combo of basics and it is irregular. Otherwise Zimbabweans will starve to death neglected closed up in their homes and infact a worse than COVID -19 casualties report is running afoot. God bless.