Minister Ncube with Byo Mayor, Mguni |
Government is working with Grain Millers Association of
Zimbabwe (GMAZ) in implementing the new strategy.
Addressing journalists in Bulawayo yesterday, Bulawayo
Provincial Affairs Minister Judith Ncube said the new approach was necessitated
by the need to curb the spread of Covid-19 after it was noted that people were
failing to observe the principle of social distancing in mealie meal queues.
Residents in Thorngrove, Njube and Entumbane will be the
first to benefit in a pilot programme before the programme is rolled out to
other suburbs both in the eastern and western areas.
Local millers will be distributing the commodity door to
door.
“We have come up with a mealie meal distribution strategy
that will see mealie meal being delivered at household level. We have since
selected three priority areas namely Thorngrove, Njube and Entumbane as part of
the pilot project before rolling out the programme to other locations in both
high and low density suburbs,” she said.
“We are working in conjunction with the Grain Millers
Association of Zimbabwe for the smooth execution of this strategy and local
millers will be distributing the commodity to residents door-to-door. The
committee, which is tasked with the distribution is set to start the sampling
of people tomorrow (today) in the three identified suburbs.”
GMAZ introduced a nationwide zonal distribution of
subsidised roller meal recently following complaints that many people were
unable to access it as it was reportedly being channelled towards the black
market.
The countrywide programme saw the product being delivered
to residential shops in selected urban areas in Bulawayo, Harare, Mutare,
Marondera, Kwekwe, Gweru and Chitungwiza, as part of efforts to ensure the
public conforms with the country’s national lockdown order.
The new door to door system is aimed at curbing the rampant
movement of people in search of the basic commodity.
Speaking during the same occasion, Bulawayo mayor
Councillor Solomon Mguni said the local authority is working on decongesting
the central business district (CBD) as part of a raft of measures to curb the
spread of the global pandemic.
The Bulawayo City Council has already permanently closed
some informal markets in the CBD including the popular Khothama Market to bring
order in the city beyond the lockdown period as part of the decongestion drive.
“The city council is working on decongesting the CBD and to
this end, wholesale distribution centres for fresh farm produce will be
established across the city’s residential suburbs at shopping centres.
Engagement of stakeholders is underway as we prepare for the post pandemic
era,” said Clr Mguni.
“The period of limited movement has also served to curtail
the spread of the virus and I urge each one of us to continue with this culture
of hand washing and social distancing.”
The streets that were used as markets are now open to
traffic and pedestrians with council having identified certain portions in the
CBD as temporary facilities to accommodate informal traders. All the informal
traders that were operating along 5th Avenue were relocated to their respective
suburban shopping centres.
Clr Mguni also commended corporate organisations,
individuals and public institutions for continue to render support towards the
rehabilitation and upgrading of Thorngrove Hospital as well as contributing to
the fight against Covid-19.
“It is imperative that as a nation and city we continue to
reduce the number of deaths from the pandemic. I am therefore grateful for the
collaboration we have witnessed from various partners and sectors,” he said.
Chronicle
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