12 000 killed by hunger in Zimbabwe every month

Published: October 21, 2009

Harare(ZimEye)Some 12 000 people are dying of hunger every month in Zimbabwe as president Robert Mugabe tells the world that the country needs no food assistance from outside, it has emerged.

Prominent economic analyst and newspaper columnist Eric Bloch made the revelation during the public taping of a television discussion series known as ‘The Transition’, sponsored by the MDC, on Tuesday night.

Bloch did not reveal the source of his information. However, he is known to have high level sources in government, the diplomatic and NGO sectors. It was on that basis that he was appointed special advisor to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

“Although there are no official statistics, 12 000 people are dying due to malnutrition every month,” Bloch said.

He called on Mugabe and Zanu PF to drop their opposition to Zimbabwe’s being classified a highly indebted poor country (HIPC), which would make the country eligible for the cancellation of some of its crippling $1,3 billion foreign debt. The move would also enable the country to reschedule some of the debt.

Mugabe and his officials argue that if Zimbabwe is classified as a HIPC country that could open the doors for regime change as the country would be forced to adopt new economic policies and follow strict financial management guidelines designed by the World Bank.

The Mugabe government has so far survived on dishing out money to sectors that could pose a threat to its survival, such as the armed forces, with no regard for basic management principles, according to experts.

Bloch said the government was currently spending huge amounts on paying its debts at the expense of social spending on food, health and education.

The United Nations estimates that 2.8 million Zimbabweans are in need of food handouts to tide them over until the next harvest expected in April 2010. Of this figure, only 600 000 are currently receiving food assistance from international donors.

Mugabe has refused to declare an official emergency, a move that could speed up the mobilization of food supplies. Observers say Mugabe fears that if he admits the country has serious food problems that would be an indictment of his disastrous land reform programme that destroyed commercial agriculture.(ZimEye, Zimbabwe)

20 Comments on "12 000 killed by hunger in Zimbabwe every month"

Sylevester on Wed, 21st Oct 2009 5:28 pm

Taura hako wezhira. Kana vanaThabani vavakuvatuka toti ndevezanu. Tell me now kuti nhema dzamunonyora idzi ndedzekupi? Iye Broku uyu mangwana chaiyo tichamubvunza. Are you paid for lying? MurimaZimbabweans here imi? Zimeye tipeyi serious

MAKWIRAMITI on Wed, 21st Oct 2009 5:45 pm

ZIMEYE HAS DONE NOTHING WRONG. JUST REPORTING WHAT BLOCH SAID.

IS THERE ANY FAULT IN THAT?

MAKWIRAMITI on Wed, 21st Oct 2009 5:47 pm

HANDISI KUONA MHOSVA INI APA.

ATADZEIKO KANI CHIMUNHU UYU?

IWE MUDIKANI SYLVESTA, BUDA PACHENA TIONE

samukeliso on Wed, 21st Oct 2009 6:09 pm

While we do agree to some extent that hunger looms in some parts of Zimbabwe, there are peopple who are affected by this hunger problem, but this this figure is questionable.
Well Mr reporter wherever you are, for the sack of trasperance and true and fair view of the current situation please supply us with further details, please let us know when does this figure start exactly. Is it as of the beginning of this year or is it from a certain period to a certain period please do not leave us guesing, we rely on you.
It will be irresponsible of me to found telling friends who have no access to the internet or havent heard of this report, to believe me as genuine, they will think i am telling pokies, they will think i am milking pregnant cows(in venecular)

Xolani on Wed, 21st Oct 2009 9:43 pm

Samukeliso, et alia, in any sector of Zimbabwe’s economy which is dictated by state media, there are always two figures: the declare dand undeclared. You cannot analyse ZImbabwe if you do know yet what fgoes on behind the cameras

It is my persuatsion that Bloch being the chief economist in Zimbabwe knows more than we all do. Even Gideon gono trusts Bloch. The rustic old man Mugabe also trusts Eric Bloch; remember he is the one who gave him this sennior job after all.

If Bloch was wrong then, ZANU would be the first to come out and cry foul, but this is not the case.

Xolani on Wed, 21st Oct 2009 9:44 pm

Samukeliso, et alia, in any sector of Zimbabwe’s economy which is dictated by state media, there are always two figures: the Declared and the Undeclared. You cannot analyse ZImbabwe if you do know yet what fgoes on behind the cameras.

If Bloch was wrong then, ZANU would be the first to come out and cry foul, but this is not the case.

sandi on Thu, 22nd Oct 2009 7:38 am

this is nonsense,how can you report such a terrible lie. although people are suffering in zimbabwe, not such a figure. people will take you like fools and morever you are now degrading the zimeye. ndiko kufa kwe site iyi uku. be serious chimunhu. aiwa ,aiwa kwete izvi. imbodza yamava kutipa iyi.

JOJO on Thu, 22nd Oct 2009 7:47 am

aaaah!! ndicho chii manje ichochi.12 000 vanhu every month, saka tese vanhu vari muzimbabwe tatove zvitunha zve. we moving caucuses.

John Chimunhu on Thu, 22nd Oct 2009 8:14 am

Sadly, while we discuss the credibility of the source of this grim statistic or the professionalism of the reporter who quoted him, people are dying out there. In fact, I would not be surprised if the figure of 12 000 a month is understated. Remember we are talking about whole communities that have already been weakened by AIDS and other medical conditions. We are talking about people in remote rural areas who are excluded from food aid lists by militiamen who are looting the little food that comes. Then there are the urban poor who, because of insensitive government policies, are not even allowed to get assistance from donors. And our esteemed president is telling CNN that Zimbabwe is a sovereign state that doesnt need any help from anyone. Yet people are dying.
Suppose only one person died of preventable hunger-related conditions caused by bad policies. Would that be acceptable in this day and age? Suppose that person was you or your close relative? Think about it.

maerera on Thu, 22nd Oct 2009 10:55 am

still 12 000 its too much. infact you wanted to crack a joke.

Musakaruka on Thu, 22nd Oct 2009 11:23 am

John Chimunhu reports from Harare.

Did you not read on ZimbabweSituation when Zim Tourism boss, Kaseke almost pounced on him during a press conference?

I don’t see any error the author has made. He is just reporting what 10 million others saw live on ZTV, and just as Xolani has said, Bloch is Zimbabwe’s senior economist.

samukeliso on Thu, 22nd Oct 2009 2:15 pm

(I don’t see any error the author has made. He is just reporting what 10 million others saw live on ZTV, and just as Xolani has said, Bloch is Zimbabwe’s senior economist)

No chief look here, the 10 million you are talking about never saw the 12000 dying, but they saw the economist almost being pounced after saying his report, fare enough but what of this figure, where is he getting this figure from, is it from the birth and death registery or is it from the clinics, hospitals, undertakers etc, what is the cause of the death, is it hunger, mulnutrition, hiv/aids, natural causes etc, please let us know, break it down, what is his source of information, where is he gathering these figures from, so that we can make a follow up if we can.

Thabani Mukombe on Thu, 22nd Oct 2009 3:07 pm

Am in Zimbabwe. Am a journalist and I work for a private media house. Thus,I don’t work for the Herald and the Chronicle or anything similar to that. Like I promised I made all efforts to speak to Mr Bloch and he was in a meeting. We made an appointment for tomorrow. Its so interesting that we tour a lot of places in the rural areas and we don’t see such things happening.

Kumi on Thu, 22nd Oct 2009 4:16 pm

Zvakaoma.

Dzombi on Thu, 22nd Oct 2009 5:29 pm

Vakomana musatsvage mari nenzira dzakaipa kudero. Iwe Chimunhu you are an imperialist.Isu tirikutofa naro sadza kuno kuUzumba. Vanhu ivavo ndevako naBrair. MUSANZWE HENYU VANA VEZIMBABWE. DZOKAYI KUMBA IMI. SADZA NENYEMBA PFACHAMU. BASA ROKUDZIDZISA RAWANDA.

runescape gold on Fri, 23rd Oct 2009 9:53 am

Classic exposition, I have also mentioned it in my blog article. But it is a pity that almost no friend discussed it with me. I am very happy to see your article.

Dzombi on Fri, 23rd Oct 2009 4:19 pm

Thanks I must ve yo email address

Thabani Mukombe on Mon, 26th Oct 2009 5:12 pm

Like I promised.Today l had an interview with MR Bloch.Erich Bloch remembers himself as having said that the estimates he said were from his mind. He says those were his OWN rough estimates and they are inaccurate. He further on goes to say that the numbers as he put it they include the mortality rate in Zimbabwe.

SANDI on Tue, 27th Oct 2009 12:56 pm

thanks thabani mukombe not thabani ngwenya anyhow, for your findings. so there the truth is.

samukeliso on Tue, 27th Oct 2009 3:44 pm

Heyi Mr Mukombe thank you so much for the feed back, now yu see now, that figure can not be relied upon, and can not be proven,
So whats the use of reporting such a questionable story like this,

Mr Mukombe if i may ask are yu somehow related to one of my once upon a time teacher at a certain school in Lower Gweru.

12 000 killed by hunger in Zimbabwe every month

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