admin
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
SURVIVORS of the devastating March 2019 Cyclone Idai are finally moving into their new houses constructed by Government at Runyarararo Village formerly West End Farm near Nhedziwa Business Centre in Chimanimani District.
The first two batches are already in their new homes.
The fulfilment by Government of the pledge to have survivors relocate from makeshift tents to new structures at Runyararo Village comes after many development partners, including Non-Governmental Organisations, and civic groups, who chipped in at the height of the disaster, focused on other low cost humanitarian needs such as food and education.
With the help of International Organisation of Migrants (IOM) which supplied more reliable prefabricated structures for temporary accommodation, Government shouldered the financial burden to construct houses for the survivors of the tropical storm.
In an interview on the sidelines of the Mutasa/Nyanga football tournament held at DC Mutasa Community Grounds last week on Saturday, Provincial Development Coordinator, Mr Edgars Seenza confirmed that the first batch of beneficiaries of houses constructed at Runyararo Village had already moved in.
Mr Seenza said construction work on the remaining houses was in progress, and more beneficiaries would be allocated their permanent houses in due course.
“Actually, we now have two groups that have been moved to Runyararo Housing Scheme as we continue with the relocation of houses to this safer environment.
“In our planning, every Friday we are having more households being moved to Runyararo Housing Scheme until we clear all Idai Displaced Persons (IDPs). The process has been hectic, but we are glad that there is noticeable progress on the ground.
“So far, we have a total of 28 households at Runyararo Housing Scheme. We expect to have 105 permanent houses. For the rest, we will have 225 prefabricated structures that are much better than the tents in Chimanimani. The prefabricated structures are meant to give more time for construction of permanent houses,” said Mr Seenza.
Government had envisaged the completion of the first 55 houses by end of last year, but late delivery of materials from suppliers delayed the process.
Red tape in the procurement also delayed the completion of the houses.
In its disaster recovery plan after Cyclone Idai, Government, through line ministries led by the Local Government and Public Works Ministry, sought to build houses for survivors who were left homeless by the tropical storm.
Online Reporter