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Blessings Chidakwa

Municipal Reporter

At least 1 000 houses constructed for Cyclone Idai victims by Government and development partners have been completed with 500 more expected to be finished by month end.

Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo said as Government implements Vision 2030 through the National Development Strategy 1, its thrust in the area of housing is to establish smart settlements which are well-planned and include all relevant social amenities such as business centres, health facilities and schools.

“In the area of housing, I am pleased to note that at West End farm, where 220 internally-displaced households are to be resettled, 55 housing units of the targeted 220 have been constructed. Government is targeting 105 housing units by the end of June 2021.

“In addition, the need for settlements that are resilient to the effects of climate change cannot be overemphasised. Through the ECHO funded housing programme approved by the Government, 800 housing units are targeted and to date 659 houses have been reconstructed in situ,” he said.

Minister Moyo said under the UNDP- China $2 million facility, 237 houses have also been rehabilitated and ready for commissioning.

“I am further pleased to inform you that the Government with support from partners, made significant strides in rehabilitating 350 houses in Chimanimani where 54 houses are in ward 8, 107 houses in ward 21, 76 houses in ward 22 and 113 houses in ward 23,” he said.

“Econet has worked in ward 10 and they completed 176 houses and are working on another 158 houses. World Vision International has a target of 200 houses and to date they have completed 178 houses while 22 others are under construction.”

Minister Moyo said through NDS1, the Government will strengthen social infrastructure and social safety nets and deliver quality settlements in both rural and urban areas.

“Zimbabwe is a signatory to global and national development frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals (2015-2030) and the Paris Climate Agreement (2015-2030) which are people-centred.

“Therefore, our development initiatives are guided by our Constitution which emphasises the right to life with dignity,” he said.

After the disaster, the Government and the World Bank quickly intervened and undertook a joint exercise to assess the losses and damages caused by Cyclone Idai in Zimbabwe.

The outcome of this exercise formed the foundations for a strategy for post-Cyclone Idai immediate recovery interventions and longer-term restoration of livelihoods and resilience building, giving birth to Zimbabwe Idai Recovery Project (ZIRP).

Government was not only concerned about restoring normalcy to the affected, but to do so in a safer way than before through cultivating dreams for a better future.

In the health sector there was the construction and rehabilitation of various clinics and hospitals with three clinics in Chipinge namely Gumira Clinic (ward 22), Nyunga (ward 3), St Peter’s Mission (ward 24).

Other three clinics constructed in Chimanimani are Mutsvangwa (ward 23), Nyahode (ward 13), Mutambara Mission (ward 1) and Old Mutare Mission in Mutasa District.

A number of boreholes were drilled while latrines were also constructed in the affected areas.