BY SILAS NKALA LOCAL milling company, Brainman Investments, yesterday took subsidised roller meal to essential service workers at three Bulawayo public hospitals and a police station after realising they have not been able to access the basic commodity during the lockdown. Cowdray Park’s Hlalani Kuhle residents were also given access to the cheap staple from the company owned by Douglas Kwande, a close ally of President Emmerson Mnangagwa. The company delivered subsidised mealie-meal to Mpilo, United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) and Ingutsheni hospitals, Cowdray Park Police Station and Cowdray Park’s Hlalani Kuhle/Garikai residents. Brainman official Portia Chikohora, said they were taking the government subsidised mealie-meal to essential service workers after noticing that they were facing challenges in getting food due to the nature of their jobs. “The beneficiaries pay $75 for a 10kg pocket and we facilitate the distribution and make sure that they get the mealie-meal,” Chikohora said. “At Mpilo, UBH and Ingutsheni, we are delivering mealie-meal and bread. We supply the nurses, doctors and staff with the mealie-meal, we also distribute to the uniformed forces. “We realised that they do not have time to queue for the mealie-meal due to the nature of their jobs, so we supply them so that they are not disturbed.” Chikohora said the company was planning to roll out similar programmes at all its branches in Gweru, Bulawayo, Masvingo, Plumtree and Harare. Cowdray Park ward 28 councillor Kidwell Mujuru (Zanu PF) said the company’s intervention was timely as most residents had run out of the staple since most shops did not have it in stock.