The opposition MDC led by advocate Nelson Chamisa has said that it has decided to start distributing food and farming inputs to citizens residing in the rural areas as a way to balance the alleged abuse of aid by the ruling ZANU PF.
The party’s new approach was revealed by MDC Harare province chairperson Wellington Chikombo while handing over food hampers to party supporters in Mabelreign, Harare West at the weekend. Chikombo said:
It is no longer time for us to remain complaining about Zanu PF. Zanu PF has been using food aid and farming inputs to gain political mileage, especially in rural areas.
We are now going pound for pound. If Zanu PF is giving people rice in rural areas, we will also be parking our trucks side by side dishing out our aid to the people also. If they are giving farming inputs, the MDC will be doing the same also.
The MDC has always been accused of failing to find a sustainable strategy to win the rural vote with analysts observing that the party will never win elections without the rural vote.
ZANU PF has reportedly been giving aid along party lines to retain votes since voting otherwise would mean no benefits.
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