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The government of Zimbabwe announced June 5 that it has suspended relief agency operations in the country.
The move represents an attempt to control the availability and distribution of food to ensure the electoral victory — and hence survival — of the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF).
The suspension of relief agency operations comes as the country is preparing for a runoff presidential election scheduled for June 27. A runoff became necessary when, according to official results, no presidential candidate won an outright majority in the first round of elections held March 29.
The suspension likely will target aid agencies operating in rural Zimbabwe, ZANU-PF’s traditional base. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party led by Morgan Tsvangirai, born out of a labor movement in Zimbabwess urban centers, has successfully expanded its reach into ZANU-PF territory. This earned it a parliamentary majority March 29 and more votes than President Robert Mugabe, who came in second place in the presidential election.
ZANU-PF is maneuvering to try to ensure its runoff win any way it can. The ruling party has deployed security forces and a private militia called the Green Bombers to coerce voters, especially those in rural constituencies, to vote for Mugabe. While beatings and intimidation might not accomplish this, determining who eats probably will prove more persuasive.
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