Tsholotsho North lawmaker Roselyn Sipepa Nkomo says Zimbabwe should revive traditional granaries meant to cater for droughts and emergencies.
In an interview while distributing food handouts, clothing and other items to Zimbabwe flood victims, Nkomo said these granaries will play a critical role in taking care of such victims.
“This is the reason why I delivered these goods to the displaced flood victims through traditional leaders. I believe that isiphala senkosi or zunde ramambo (traditional granary) has a role to play in taking care of the needy.”
Thousands of people in Tsholotsho in Matabelaland North and Masvingo province were displaced by floods early this year.
Isiphala senkosi/zunde ramambo is some form of traditional social security scheme under which chiefs coordinated the cultivation of crops on designated plots, with the harvest being used to feed under-privileged people.
At times people in different areas cultivated crops in their own fields and then contributed a bucket of cereals to granaries monitored by a chief.
In most cases, beneficiaries included the poor, senior citizens, disabled, orphans and other people in need of food assistance.
Your browser doesn’t support HTML5
Interview With Roselyn Sipepa Nkomo