Contact: U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Press Office, 202-712-4320; Public Information, 202-712-4810

WASHINGTON, June 12 /Standard Newswire/ -- A group of Zimbabwe military officers and police under the direction of the Governor of Manicaland, hijacked a truck contracted by a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) partner carrying 20 metric tons of humanitarian food from the American people destined for hungry schoolchildren. The food was then distributed to ZANU-PF supporters assembled at a political rally in Mutare District on June 6.

"This unconscionable behavior must stop," said USAID Administrator Henrietta H. Fore. "It is unacceptable for the Government of Zimbabwe to steal food from hungry children."

The humanitarian convoy left the food warehouse prior to the recent Government of Zimbabwe (GOZ) ban on NGO operations. The driver made a scheduled stop to unload the humanitarian assistance including - grains, beans, and oil - at a school that benefits from a U.S. program that supports school feeding.

A group of military officers, war veterans and police officers, dispatched by Governor Chugudu of Manicaland and led by a Zimbabwe Army Colonel, arrived and threatened the driver, forcing him to go to the Bambazonke police station for protection.

Meanwhile, Governor Chugudu and other senior GOZ and ZANU-PF officials had organized a political rally near the Bambazonke police station. When the hijacked vehicle arrived at the police station, Governor Chugudu instructed the war veterans to distribute the food to ZANU-PF supporters at the rally.

"Given the existing food insecurity and widespread violence that has recently spread throughout the country, this event is another affront to the people of Zimbabwe and the humanitarian organizations working to assist vulnerable Zimbabweans," said Fore. "It also represents an orchestrated theft of U.S. Government property. Those responsible should be brought to justice."

The U.S. Government is deeply concerned with the increasing lawlessness in Zimbabwe. Not only has the GOZ suspended all NGO assistance operations, but government officials are now looting U.S. Government humanitarian aid destined for Zimbabwe's neediest people.

"We also, once again, call on the Zimbabwean authorities to immediately re-instate permission for all aid agencies to resume their life-saving assistance. Failure to do so constitutes GOZ complicity in the assault, suffering, and deaths of innocent citizens," said Fore.

For more information about USAID's humanitarian assistance programs in Zimbabwe, please visit www.usaid.gov/zw/.

The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for nearly 50 years.