Zimpapers Logo

Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
OVER 120 victims of Cyclone Idai in Chirumhanzu South and Chirumhanzu-Zibagwe constituencies in the Midlands Province yesterday received relief aid, with Government assuring the beneficiaries of continued support until they fully recover.

Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Larry Mavima led church organisations and the corporate world in handing over the donations in the two hard-hit districts, which saw 89 families being affected after some of their houses were destroyed.

The beneficiaries received blankets, clothes, tents and food among other items at Mukomberanwa High School, Chirumhanzu South and at Fairfields in Chirumanzu-Zibagwe.

“We are here to sympathise with you, we are here to show you support, to show you that you are not alone in this,” said Minister Mavima.

“The Government led by President Mnangagwa will not let you die of hunger or let you live in squalid conditions after some of you lost your homes.

“We are here today and we are going to come back with more relief aid in the form of sleeping tents, basic commodities and clothes.”

Minister Mavima said Government and well-wishers were working on modalities to assist 89 families to rebuild their homes.

He said Government was going to make sure that the new structures were strong enough to withstand strong winds and rains.

“When you start constructing new homes, Government will be involved so that you have strong or standard structures which can withstand strong winds and rains. It’s very unfortunate that a lot of structures were destroyed but it seems like most were substandard and therefore there is need to have standard structures,” he said.

Minister Mavima said contrary to media reports that some parts of Mberengwa District had also been affected by Cyclone Idai, only Chirumanzu South and Chirumhanzu-Zibagwe had been affected.

Midlands province has to date raised more than half a million dollars in cash and kind for Cyclone Idai victims and part of the relief aid for Chirumhanzu South and Chirumhanzu-Zibagwe Districts was from that aid.