MUTARE– A local legislator has extended an olive branch to food insecure villagers in Cyclone Idai ravaged communities by providing door to door food deliveries during the Coronavirus lockdown.
Chimanimani West Member of Parliament, Nokhutula Matsikenyeri says she is complementing government’s efforts in fighting the spread of COVID 19 by making door to door deliveries of food aid.
In an interview with 263Chat, Matsikenyeri said the initiative ensures that people do not gather and observe social distancing adding that she has engaged traditional leaders in the constituency to help in raising awareness campaigns of the deadly virus.
Each household was getting 50 kg grain from the Department of Social Welfare, with the legislator dealing with logistics and distribution which sometimes is done centrally but in strict observance of social distancing said Matsikenyeri.
“I am providing fuel so that we transport grain in my constituency to various people, this week alone we have already distributed grain in Gudyanga area and ward 8 in my constituency respectively.
“In some situations we are making door to door deliveries of food which is coming from the social welfare department but in some situations we delivering the food aid at a central point whereby we will be monitoring social distancing.
“I don’t want our people to die of hunger and as MP’s we should be seen playing a role, we are doing the distribution fairly to the needy regardless of political affiliation,” she said.
Matsikenyeri said her work with traditional leaders to raise awareness of the corona virus was a complementing of various livelihood projects in the constituency mostly targeted at the development of women.
She said through the Constituency development Funding (CDF) she has constructed boreholes, started poultry and cattle rearing projects enabling locals to create employment and empower themselves.
“Although we are encouraging self-isolation, we are doing awareness campaigns on corona virus in the constituency, my councilors have approached traditional leaders who then dispatch information to their subordinates on how to prevent the virus,” she said.
