as we fear , the food aid pipeline into Zimbabwe begins to fail in the new year the millions of people who rely on emergency food aid will suffer . '' Zimbabwe is facing its worst economic and humanitarian crisis since its independence from Great Britain 28 years ago . There is an acute shortage of all essentials such as cash , fuel , medical drugs , electricity and food . President Robert Mugabe blames the crisis on the sanctions imposed on him and his cronies by the West for allegedly disregarding human rights . But Mugabe 's critics attribute the crisis to his economic policies . As the economy has faltered for almost a decade now , a cholera epidemic is raging , fueled by the collapse of health , sanitation and water services in Zimbabwe . The epidemic has claimed more than 1,100 lives and infected more than 20,000 people since its outbreak in August . Health experts have warned that the water-borne disease could infect more than 60,000 unless its spread is halted . The political crisis rose to a boil in this year when the opposition party claimed that it won the presidential election , but
HARARE , Zimbabwe -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Some of Zimbabwe 's children are '' wasting away '' as political turmoil and economic crisis have caused a severe food shortage , according to a report from Save the Children . Children sleep in rough conditions on the border between Zimbabwe and South Africa . The number of acute child malnutrition cases has risen by almost two-thirds in the past year , the report from the UK-based agency said in its appeal to world donors for help . `` There is no excuse for failing to provide this food , '' program director Lynn Walker said . `` The innocent people of Zimbabwe should not be made to suffer for a political situation that is out of their control . '' Five million Zimbabweans -- out of a population of about 12 million -- are in need of food aid now , the report said . The group is appealing for 18,000 tons of food for next month . `` We have already been forced to reduce the rations of emergency food we are delivering because there is n't enough to go around , '' the report said . `` If ,