Tafadzwa Nyikadzino

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared the current El Niño induced drought as a national disaster that will place millions of people in dire need of food relief this year.

Addressing the country on the State of Drought today, President Mnangagwa said 2.7 million people were expected to be food insecure from April 2023 until the end of March 2024  according to the Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee Report.

He said the country needs over US$2billion for various interventions to provide food to citizens.  He said the government will prioritize securing food for all Zimbabweans and mobilize resources towards national food security.

President Mnangagwa called on  humanitarian organisations, financial institutions and partners to help the country’s efforts to provide food relief to the country.

“I also call upon all Zimbabweans of goodwill, including those in the diaspora; the international community, United Nations Agencies, Development and Humanitarian Partners, International Financial Institutions; the private sector, churches and other faith-based organisations, as well as individuals to generously donate towards ameliorating this State of National Disaster,” President Mnangagwa said.