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Jeffry Gogo  Climate Story
This month is so far the worst in terms of intense climate disasters in Zimbabwe, yet a range of challenges and questions still remain for 2014 and beyond.The floods currently ravishing the Tokwe-Mukosi dam basin in Masvingo have killed two people, caused massive financial losses and created a difficult humanitarian crisis that has left 20 000 people either homeless or hungry and 40 000 more facing similar fate.
In Muzarabani, six children were washed away early this month following heavy flooding.

Houses built on wetlands in Harare and Chitungwiza are sinking or folding while thousands of families in Tsholotsho, Bulawayo and parts of Manicaland are stressing over extreme rains and floods.

Burdened by the crisis, Government on Tuesday last week appealed for international assistance.  It wants US$20 million to help evacuate, relocate, shelter and feed people affected by the Tokwe-Mukosi disturbance alone.

The money needed to respond to other flood-induced humanitarian situations countrywide has yet to be quantified, but runs into several millions, which the Government does not have.

Although the current flooding may not necessarily explain the existence of climate change, the frequency and intensity of flood and drought events in Zimbabwe since 1960 have led to scientists concluding the science is alive and hitting the country hard.

Issues such as the Tokwe-Mukosi disaster, more than 10 droughts suffered in back to back seasons in recent decades, reduced precipitation, average temperature increases and Cyclone Eline of 2000 among other occurrences are testament of the crippling impacts of climate change.

These are evidence the growing risks and challenges paused by changing climates on the socio-economic fibre of Zimbabwe.
Once again, the recurrent floods and droughts have exposed Government’s severe weaknesses in handling disaster situations caused by climate change.

Poor planning and inadequate disaster preparedness have reared their ugly heads.
Some actors have come out prominent for their inefficiency and lack of a sense of urgency. Responding to questions posed to ZBC reporters on the Tokwe-Mukosi disaster on February 9, the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) director, Mr Madzudzo Pawadyira said “I am at the family farm” and, therefore, could not detail nor spell out the Department’s response strategy.

Coming from a leader whose Department is primarily responsible for  protecting and helping people during crisis situations, the statements by Mr Pawadyira are clearly reckless, arrogant and insensitive.

It is incredible Mr Pawadyira spoke from the comfort of “the family farm” at a time thousands of families had lost their homes, livelihoods and valuables, and children sleeping in the cold, hungry.

A more sensitive CPU director would have been on the ground with the affected people, designing suitable responses from an informed position.

President Mugabe had declared the Tokwe-Mukosi issue a national disaster. It deserves no less attention except at the highest level, such as the office occupied by Mr Pawadyira.

After Mr Pawadyira’s utterances, the humanitarian situation in the Tokwe-Mukosi flooding worsened, with more homes submerged, more families displaced and food stocks and crops swept away.

Beyond Tokwe-Mukosi

Beyond the Tokwe-Mukosi disaster, the biggest challenge going forward is the provision of decent shelter, food, water and clothes to those families affected by the flooding of the basin.

Studies for school children have been disrupted and educational materials destroyed. That requires immediate attention.
Lost livelihoods should be restored at least to previous levels or better, ensuring families carry on with their core farming activities with minimal exposure to bad weather or climates.

The UN World Food Programme estimates that two million Zimbabweans are facing hunger due to food shortages.
The flooding in several districts across the country has created new hungry mouths, adding to the mountain of existing problems.
From Tokwe-Mukosi, affected people are currently stationed at three transit camps, which in nature are stop-overs to somewhere, not a waiting area for returning to their original homes when the waters subside.

Government says the families will be relocated to Nuanetsi Ranch within Masvingo Province.
The question is: how long will the people continue to live on the periphery before being moved elsewhere, permanently?

What guarantee is there that Government will secure the US$9 million it requires to build six new schools in the areas of relocation?
Several families in Chibuwe Village, Chipinge whose homes were destroyed during Cyclone Eline in 2000 moved back to the flood prone area and rebuilt their homes, renewing existing risks.

It took almost 10 years to rebuild smaller bridges that were destroyed by the cyclone near Birchenough Bridge.
The same risks are real for the Tokwe-Mukosi victims.

Government’s land reform programmes should identify those families in flood prone districts and move them to better lands before disaster strikes.

These are the people who really need to be resettled.
It is costly and severely inconvenient for authorities to always have to wait for certain disturbances to occur for them to act.

As already seen, Government lacks capacity to adequately respond to the catastrophes but it can minimise damage by acting early.
During the early days of the Tokwe-Mukosi flooding, the CPU applied to Treasury for about US$100 000 to help address the emerging chaos.

However, flood warnings had been issued by the Meteorological Services Department several weeks earlier, which should have given the CPU adequate time to move people to safety, mobilise financial and food resources.

The last minute rush to Treasury indicates a lack of anticipation and preparation on the part of Government, even when red flags were flying all over.

Flood events have become a common occurrence in Zimbabwe in recent years.
Despite the increased frequency and intensity of such events, the national budgets still do not address the challenge.

The 2014 Budget, like many others before it, was silent on specific emergency situation or disaster funding.
Eleventh hour responses are typically slow, disorganised and fragmented. Such responses only bear unnecessary crisis situations, as those seen in Masvingo.

However, credit must be given to the Air Force of Zimbabwe for dedicating its war machinery, such as helicopters, to a worthy humanitarian cause, helping to airlift marooned families.

Local businesses, churches, NGOs, global development partners and individuals should also be commended for intervening with food and other vital donations.

In Tsholotsho, the CPU is currently struggling to reach more than 200 families cut off from the rest of the world for over a week due to flooding, which has destroyed or completely buried the gravel roads.

The area is now only accessible by air. The CPU wants Government to provide an aircraft to save the situation.
Coming from over a decade of economic decline, the Government’s financial limitations are understandable, which perhaps explain its funding priorities that ignore disaster emergencies.

However, climate budgeting cannot continue to occupy the back seat, as the impacts of climate change are expanding each year costing lives and causing multiple socio-economic losses.

Government should move to capacitate the CPU and other public departments key to ensuring swift responses during times of disaster.
The National Climate Change Response Strategy, which has been on the cards for the past two years, must therefore, be concluded as a matter of urgency.

The strategy is expected to compel Government to budget for climate change and its attendant damages.

God is faithful.

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