Zimbabwe is seeking to rush in maize imports from Southern African states, President Robert Mugabe told an election rally on Wednesday, saying the country faced an emergency.
Concerns over widespread food shortages deepened after a government report on Tuesday showed Zimbabwe would fail to meet its targeted harvest this year, further highlighting the plight of an economy gripped by hyper-inflation.
”Maize is there [in Zambia] … but we are having problems moving it,” Mugabe told about 8 000 party supporters during a campaign rally in Mahusekwa, a rural settlement 70km south of the capital, Harare.
”We sought permission from the Zambian government to send our people to load the maize into trucks because we have already paid for it,” said Mugabe.
”We have 150 000 tonnes in Zambia and more than 300 000 tonnes in Malawi and a few thousand from South Africa. We have an emergency because we have areas that face shortages.”
Mugabe also promised to tackle escalating prices of basic goods, review the salaries of teachers who frequently strike over low pay, and give more equipment to farmers resettled under a controversial land-reform programme.
Economists say the government’s seizure of white-owned farms to resettle landless black Zimbabweans has deepened the economic crisis.
The March 29 election presents Mugabe with one of the biggest challenges to his rule since taking office in 1980.
Former finance minister Simba Makoni was expelled from the ruling Zanu-PF last month after deciding to run against Mugabe as an independent. He has been backed by senior party politburo member Dumiso Dabengwa, a major blow to Mugabe.
The defections may have bruised Mugabe, a former liberation hero Western foes accuse of human rights abuses and ruining the country’s economy — allegations he denies. But the wily 84-year-old leader could still capitalise on the opposition’s failure to unite, analysts say.
Makoni has suggested he has the backing of many senior Zanu-PF officials but there is no sign of this. Most party officials have lined up to publicly back Mugabe.
”You do not just fall from nowhere and declare yourself a presidential candidate. That is what Makoni did. The power of leadership comes from the people,” Mugabe told his rally.
His other main challenger is long-time rival Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the biggest faction of the divided main opposition Movement for Democratic Change.
All three election candidates have promised to tackle the economic crisis but they have produced few concrete proposals to ease hardships worsening by the day.
While the campaign hots up, ordinary Zimbabweans are more concerned with chronic food and fuel shortages and the world’s highest inflation rate of more than 100 000%. — Reuters