Hunger bites Zimbabwe's health and education sectors

Innocent victims, trying to learn on empty stomachs. (image: UNICEF)

Mhondoro - The government launched "Operation Reduce Prices" in late June in an attempt to cap escalating prices as businesses tried to cushion themselves against the world's highest inflation rate - over 4,000% - although some independent economists estimate the actual inflation rate at about 20,000%.

President Robert Mugabe accused manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and other service providers of trying to undermine his ZANU-PF government by sowing discontent among the electorate ahead of next year's scheduled presidential and parliamentary elections.

However, the price-control operation, managed by industry minister Obert Mpofu, who heads the Cabinet Task Force on Price Monitoring and Stabilisation, also has high-profile detractors, with Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono warning that price slashes would fuel the inflation rate.

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