Brighton Chiseva
MASVINGO – Angry Zanu PF supporters looted one truck of mealie meal after information came out that the mealie meal was not going to be distributed as had been promised during the rally at Mucheke stadium, Masvingo.
A number of trucks loaded with mealie meal were on standby at the rally that was addressed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa where he was said to be meeting first time voters.
Addressing party supporters at the rally, Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira said the President had brought mealie meal and everyone was going to get a share.
Things went south just after Mnangagwa and his entourage left when people started queuing for the mealie meal and all of a sudden the trucks started driving off, leaving people stranded with some claiming that the trucks were going to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depot in Masvingo and will be distributed from there.
People then mobbed the last truck and started looting the mealie meal, with the driver watching helplessly after efforts to scare people away by moving the truck proved futile.
People were shouting that the president had said everyone should benefit but the local leadership was now diverting the mealie meal for their own benefit.
Party supporters mainly youths went on top of the truck and removed the tent covering the mealie meal and started throwing the 10kg packets into the cheering crowd.
A number of other supporters watched with envy as others looted the mealie meal.
Those who spoke to TellZim News said the local leadership were doing a disservice to Mnangagwa and the 5 million votes target by angering voters.
“These people are sabotaging the president. How will people vote for him when they are not getting what he promised them?” queried one supporter
Another one said the local leadership was going to lie to Mnangagwa that they had distributed when no one has benefited.
“The President had said everyone should benefit, now they have seen that he is gone they are now diverting the trucks to some location where they will distribute it among themselves and lie to the president that people have benefited. They are now saying the trucks are going to GMB, was the rally at GMB? This is just a ploy to divert the mealie meal,” said one supporter.
Some social media users who commented on the issue on TellZim News Twitter account said the trucks were just a campaigning gimmick and they were not meant to be distributed saying the same happened at Chambuta Children’s Home in Chiredzi recently where the First Lady Auxilia Mnangagwa was guest.
