This archive report was first published on 13 December 2019.
On December 13, 2019, Zimbabwe's First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa made a plea to manufacturers and retailers to lower prices of food and basic commodities, as reported by the state-owned Herald newspaper.
She urged the traders to consider the struggles of low-income earners, who are disproportionately affected by the high cost of living.
"I implore all of us to continuously work on our pricing models so that they are reflective of the poor, whose right to food security remains paramount. Let us improve access to basic commodities to the marginalised, while ensuring that your businesses remain viable," she said at the annual retailers and manufacturers awards.
According to the First Lady, she is aware of the high cost of production in the country, including foreign currency shortages, load-shedding, fuel situation, and high cost of rentals.
Her appeal comes as Zimbabwe grapples with a severe hunger crisis, with around half of the country's population facing hunger and 7.7 million people experiencing severe hunger.
The United Nations has already announced plans to provide food aid to 4.1 million of those facing hunger.
Once a major food producer in southern Africa, Zimbabwe is currently in the midst of a drought and inflation that have both adversely affected food production.
