While all the attention on the relief towards Cyclone Idai victims has been to Manicaland province, a devastating trail of destruction was also recorded in Masvingo east province where more than 3900 household were destroyed by heavy rain and strong wind that hit Zimbabwe on that fateful weekend a fortnight ago.
There has also been countless reports of looting and unfair distribution of food and other donated goods by government officials in Manicaland, but Masvingo as one of the affected areas has a different story to tell as they have managed to handle in a distinctive manner.
Speaking to journalist during the donation of food stuffs, blankets and medicine by the Adam Molai Foundation in Masvingo yesterday, Civil Protection Unit (CPU) chairperson who is also the acting District Administrator for Bikita, Innocent Matingwina said, these are the two issues that they have managed to deal with promptly.
“We have heard of cases of looting and unfair food distributions of late in other areas, but as Bikita, we have managed to deal with these once and for all. This has been easy for us because as I speak no political party has come up with any donations so far, so no one would tell us how to distribute what we got for other well-wishers on political lines. We have kept a register of all the donations that are coming in. That being said, we then came up with a special committee that does not at any how have any political connotations to assist in food distributions,” Matingwina said.
Matingwina could not mince his words, but made it clear that as government they would not be in a position to choose the kind of donations they would want from well-wishers, but for now, the district needed infrastructure rehabilitation as well as construction materials such brick, cement.
He however allayed fears of ant diseases outbreaks for now.
“For now, we haven’t heard anything in terms of diseases outbreaks, but our medical teams are on high alert.”
The Adam Molai Foundation donated goods worth $250 000 to the Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, Lobour and Social Welfare.
It was after the permanent secretary Dr Judith Kateera talked about her expedition of the Masvingo province that made the foundation to have a second thought and divert half of the donations to Masvingo as well.
