BULAWAYO, 14 November 2008 (IRIN): Impatience among the hungry and food relief operations put on the back foot by a nearly three-month ban are complicating an already desperate situation as Zimbabwe barrels towards its peak food crisis, less than two months away.
The UN estimates that in the first quarter of 2009 more than 5,1 million people, nearly half the population, will require food assistance, although many humanitarian workers privately fear the extent of malnutrition may be deeper than first thought, a worrying situation that has surfaced in the past few days after a severe funding shortfall resulted in a cut in food rations to below the minimum monthly requirement.
Preparations by food relief agencies for the impending crisis were compromised by President Robert Mugabe’s ban on their operations – for alleged political partisanship – as he fought for his political life during a presidential run-off that he eventually won, although the high levels of violence and intimidation made the international community dismiss the poll as unfree and unfair.
The ban disrupted the vetting process of potential beneficiaries and the delay in distributions are causing rising levels of frustration among those in need of emergency food assistance.
Læs mere på: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=81475
