By Morris Bishi | Gutu– Gabriel Mapepa a Zanu PF councillor for ward 37 in Gutu is allegedly denying food aid to the Muslim community in the ward and influencing neighbouring wards to do the same.

A leader of the Mpako Islamic Centre Charles Zvenyika accused Mapepa of denying anyone who attends the Islamic Church relief food distributed by Government.

Zimbabwe’s constitution allows for freedom of association including freedom of worship.

Mapepa however, denied the allegations and told The Mirror that he only stopped Mpako Islamic Church from distributing donations to its members without the express permission of the district development co-ordinator.

He insisted that he was giving Government aid to every legible beneficiary.

“He is going door to door bragging and telling Islamic church members to pull out of the religion or he would not give them food aid. He has since extended his campaigns to Ward 33, 8 and 34.

“The Zanu PF councillor for Ward 37 is denying members of our church food aid during this period of lockdown. The councillor is now working with councillors from wards 33, 8 and 34 where some of our members are staying. I am coming from a place where maize was being distributed and all our members were not given” said Zvenyika.

“I never denied anyone food but what happened recently is that the church was distributing food which came from their donors and I stopped them from doing so until they notified the DDC,” said Mapepa.

Denial of food aid by Zanu PF councillors is common particularly along political lines.#MasvingoMirror# – masvingomirror.com