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"A spokesman for the villagers, Norbert Manyango, said they were shocked to learn that senior members of the party were using their influence to deprive people of food."

This is is turning into a black comedy (no pun intended) straight out of the movie Casblanca:

Prefect of Police: "I'm shocked, shocked to discover gambling is going on in this cafe."

Waiter (arrives with a tray of large denomination bills): "Here you are, sir."

Prefect of Police (with feigned astonishment): "What's this?"

Waiter: "Your winnings, sir."

Prefect of Police: "Oh! Thank you very much!" (furtively pockets funds whilst looking around to see if anyone is watching.)

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Seriously, how can anyone be surprised by this? This is part of the the whole purpose in engineering a famine in the first place: to drive up black market prices while the distribution of food is controled by Mugabe's hacks and associates.

This gives them the twin benefits of profiteering whilst diverting food away from political opponents. Starving your opposition to death whilst becoming filthy rich in the process has to be every tyrant's dream.

I agree that no one should be surprised. There have been numerous reported instances of use of food as a political weapon and profiteering by Zanu PF cadre.

Yet we still hear WFP officials claiming that they have no evidence of systematic diversion of food relief for political or profit purposes.