Cdes murisei, l am on the ground in Chipinge since morning as part of the disaster response team. l am so touched by the situation especially the way our fellow citizens are suffering with some of them just dying while we cant quite help given circumstances.
At one of the Churches, there are people in distress with no food, clothing, blankets etc and the few available blankets are covering dead bodies. To imagine that children as young as five are just in one big room with dead people is difficult. l used to read and hear these stories from other countries and it sounded like some film stuff but today l am standing face to face with a really devastating situation. We have lost lives, property and infrastructure as well as the environment. More than seven bridges were destroyed, schools, churches, houses, roads, clinics, hospitals, police stations and virtually all public service institutions are destroyed including shops.
While the government officials on the ground to purpotedly provide updates including the perm sec for media, information, publicity and broadacsting services, Nick Mangwana, their updates are always inaccurate and they are not demonstrating the necessary oneness and empathy with the suffering people. The question which remains unaswered by the media is, “Why did the government of Zimbabwe not evacuate people in time since there were clear early warning system including by international media?
Cyclone Idai in Zim
The Cyclone disaster was first reported some two weeks ago including details of possible impact assessment and damage. Do we have as a country a comprehensive disaster response strategy? What is the role of the Civil Protection Unit (CPU)? What is the correct number of deaths so far? This is not the first time that Zimbabwe has been exposed as a country with no disaster preparedness mechanism to cope with such emergencies and its not good for our country. So we are still here. Fortunately, the weather conditions are improving significantly to allow access.
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