Villagers fight over donated rice as hunger strikes

Shakespeare Muzavazi

All is not well in Chief Mapanzure’s kingdom where a man brutally assaulted a pregnant woman over ZANU PF rice.

This comes when hunger and starvation is hitting hard on Zimbabwe’s rural communities due to the cyclone Dineo torrential rains.

Suwisai Muganhu of Mukacha Village under Chief Mapanzure appeared before Zvishavane Magistrate Archie Wochiunga facing charges of assaulting Chipo Sibanda over the unfair distribution of rice.

Prosecuting, Stanley Ncube told the court that, on an unknown date, Chief Mapanzure held a meeting for the purpose of distributing rice.

There was mayhem and pandemonium during the rice distribution process, as those responsible for the distribution had allegedly kept some bags for themselves at home.

Muganhu and Sibanda were involved in a heated argument over the stolen bags of rice; Muganhu ran amok and hit pregnant Sibanda with a farm brick on the head leading to the later having a miscarriage.

The husband to the assaulted wife Sadam Mlangeni came to his wife’s rescue but it was rather too late since his wife had lost the baby.

A medical report was produced in court as exhibit; the accused was found guilty and was sentenced to 20 days in prisons which were suspended on the condition that he paid a $100 fine.