THE National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) has
warned councilors that are reportedly hoarding subsidised mealie meal and later
reselling it at inflated prices that they face arrest.
Speaking on Wednesday during a meeting in Gwanda which was
attended by councilors, law enforcement agents and the Matabeleland South
provincial taskforce on Covid-19, NPRC Commissioner, Leslie Ncube said the
commission had received reports from concerned residents about unscrupulous
activities by councilors and their committees.
He said the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) had
started investigating the matter and culprits will be brought to book.
“For the past week, we received letters from residents who
are complaining of exorbitant prices of subsidised mealie meal. Councilors and
their committees which were selected to administer the process of buying mealie
meal have been fingered in these corrupt activities. Districts were advised to
create committees that will spearhead the process of distributing mealie meal
but councilors have been accused of nepotism in the selection of committees so
that mealie meal isn’t distributed transparently,” he said.
“Reports are coming to us that councilors and their
committees are hoarding subsidised mealie meal which they later resell at
exorbitant prices. We were given house numbers where some of these councilors
are stocking the mealie meal. They are selling some of the mealie meal in
Rands. May this serve as a warning to you, if you know that as a councilor this
is what you have been doing make sure that from here you address this anomaly.
ZACC is already seized with this matter and soon they will descend on the
culprits, so take this as your first and final warning.”
Comm Ncube said some councillors have been arrested in
other provinces for corruption.
“As councilors you are holding public office and you are
not here to profiteer from this process. The process should be open and
transparent,” he said.
Comm Ncube said the purpose of the subsidised mealie meal
was not to extort people but to feed the nation. He said Government has a
special interest in mealie meal supply as it was concerned with food security
in communities. The NPRC commissioner said the country recorded a poor farming
season and as a result about 8 million people had been rendered food insecure
hence Government had introduced subsidised mealie meal to ensure food security.
Comm Ncube said similar problems were being faced in
Bulawayo hence the new strategy of door to door delivery of mealie meal. He
urged Matabeleland South Province to adopt a similar strategy in order to
eliminate unscrupulous leaders who sought to benefit at the expense of people’s
welfare.
Speaking at the same meeting, NPRC chairperson, Retired
Judge Justice Selo Nare said he had noted with great concern where he stays in
Bulawayo that the same people were buying mealie meal on several consecutive
days which they later resold at exorbitant prices. He said councilors had been
entrusted with the role of ensuring that mealie meal was distributed fairly
regardless of political affiliation and they had to fulfil this role.
Rtd Justice Nare said councilors and other leaders have to
take the meeting as a warning before ZACC took action. He also urged people to
ensure that the vulnerable members of the community are catered for under
mealie meal distribution.
Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs Minister, Cde
Abednico Ncube urged various stakeholders to adhere to the regulations that had
been set for distribution of subsidised mealie meal.Chronicle
0 comments:
Post a Comment