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The impact of the trail of death and destruction left by Tropical Cyclone Idai in Manicaland, Masvingo and Mashonaland East provinces will be felt for years to come. The cyclone has also killed hundreds and destroyed infrastructure in Mozambique and Malawi.
At the time of going to press, almost 100 people had been confirmed dead, with thousands more displaced and others missing, while major infrastructure, especially road and telecommunication networks have been seriously damaged in Chipinge and Chimanimani districts, making communication and travel impossible in the worst-affected areas.
As we count the death toll and damage from this monstrous tragedy which President Mnangagwa declared a State of Disaster, the most critical issue to point out is that as Zimbabweans, we are in this together, with Government playing a central role — giving direction on how disasters of such magnitude should be handled.
That responsibility cannot be taken away from them. This is why the private sector and civic organisations in the majority of cases channel their humanitarian assistance through Government. This is not unique to Zimbabwe.
A number of provinces might not have been directly affected, but they will feel the effects of Tropical Cyclone Idai in the near and distant future.
It is therefore important for all citizens to take ownership of this disaster and proffer short- and long-term solutions. Thought leadership at every level is required in order for the country to move on.
Playing the blame game after a natural disaster is a sign of immaturity. To also use Cyclone Idai for political grandstanding, that we believe MDC-Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa did with his show on Monday, is unfortunate and irresponsible.
We are not denying him his freedom of movement and association, but are requesting that he exercises the wisdom that is expected of a person of his office. When Cyclone Idai struck, there was also a deluge of questions on whether our early warning systems were put to good use on all platforms, and whether the media rose to the occasion.
This is an issue that the media, both print and broadcasting, needs to seriously reflect on, considering that social media is giving it a run for its money.
Idai is also not the first cyclone to strike Zimbabwe in the past 20 years. What lessons have we learnt since the devastating Cyclone Eline of 2000, and have we used that information to prepare for Cyclone Idai?
As cyclones, hurricanes and typhoons continually shatter different parts of the world, with climate change now a topical issue, what lessons are we drawing as a nation?
One of President Mnangagwa’s favourite terms is: “it’s no longer business as usual”. This is the approach that should be obtaining, as every individual should have a basic understanding of issues like weather patterns, and what they should do in case of emergency. Our basic literacy should translate into understanding basic and complex issues.
That notwithstanding, we applaud organisations and individuals who have been in the forefront, rendering all manner of assistance.
The state of roads could have led to more fatalities, but some of them soldiered on, rendering the much-needed humanitarian assistance.
This has been a demonstration of public-private partnerships at its best. And, for those giving, nothing is too small at such a time as this. Any form of help will be welcome by the recipients, the majority of whom are starting life from scratch.
Although the cyclone has derailed the infrastructural development already underway, we hope that as a nation, we will be united and focused so that reconstruction based on international best practices begins as soon as possible. Let us learn from the past, and from what other countries are doing.
We will also not ignore the traumatic experiences that survivors and those who lost family members are going through.
They need counselling in the days and years ahead.
Online Reporter