HARARE – A makeshift bakery has gone up at the Zanu PF headquarters in Harare as the party pursues its fledgling plan to create bakeries in every ward.
The mud oven structures will act as a training facility for party activists, who would then construct similar bakeries in the communities.
A national shortage of wheat flour however remains a major stumbling block to the success of the project.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government accuses bread companies of profiteering, and his party has been promoting the idea of bakeries run by supporters in the districts.
The party’s national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri led a Zanu PF delegation to China in June to learn from the Communist Party how Zanu PF can “participate in economic activities.”
“This is the sole way of ensuring that the party remains in power,” Muchinguri-Kashiri said earlier this month.
She said training would also take place at provincial level with the support of Ministers of State, with at least five people from each constituency being trained in bread making.
“Those trained will thereafter start running community bakeries at ward level, thereby dealing with the current bread shortages as well as exorbitant prices being charged for bread, while at the same time empowering our communities,” Muchinguri-Kashiri added.
A rudimentary bread oven officially opened by two ministers in Makonde was closed 24 hours later after the 50kg of flour delivered on the day of the launch was exhausted.
Small and Medium Enterprise Minister Sithembiso Nyoni and Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira commissioned the oven that uses firewood with a capacity to produce about 500 loaves per day.
Bread is currently retailing for ZW$4.50, but supply remains depressed owing to shortages of wheat flour.
Zimbabwe produces enough wheat to cover three months, according to the Reserve Bank, and relies on imports to cover the other nine months. But a shortage of United States dollars has left the country unable to meet demand, while driving up bread prices.
