Anguish in Mutare As Starvation Stalks Marange Villagers

In the wake of a very unsuccessful agricultural season punctuated by awful rain patterns, peasantry natives falling under the jurisdiction of Chief Bernard Murwira Marange in Mutare, Manicaland Province, have raised alarm to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Zimbabwe Government, amid reports that hunger and starvation have hit hard on the eastern parts of the country.

The 88-year old Chief Marange (main picture) told one privately-run daily publication that the magnitude of the hunger facing his subjects has now soared to ‘inexplicable’ levels. The traditional leader implored on the Harare administration to find ways of alleviating the prevailing situation in his area.

Said the Chief in comments carried by the NewsDay:

“There is hunger here in Marange. It is difficult to explain the hunger we are facing here in Marange. We are appealing to the government to help us. We held a meeting with villagers and they told me that they don’t have anything to eat because there were no rains to talk about.”

A prolonged dry spell emanating from erratic rains in the landlocked southern African nation of an estimated 15.3 million people has raised fears of widespread drought-induced hunger and starvation.

In apparent consonance with Chief Marange’s appeal to the Government, Mnangagwa’s understudy, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga last week told Zanu PF supporters at a rally in Mutare that the predominantly agrarian nation was facing food shortages emanating from poor rains.

Zwnews