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Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE has crafted a number of laws that regulate Government’s readiness to deal with disasters while Parliament is reviewing the Civil Protection Act to bring it in line with current trends in response to disasters, Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, has said.
Advocate Mudenda said this yesterday while addressing the 54th Sadc Parliamentary Forum plenary assembly in Mauritius being held under the theme: “The Role of Parliaments in Promoting Co-ordination for Enhanced Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery Planning in the Sadc Region.”
“It is common cause that the Sadc Region has not escaped the vagaries of natural disasters as experienced recently in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, Malawi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“Accordingly, a regional approach to managing such epic disasters is, therefore, an imperative. To that end, Zimbabwe has developed a legal framework for Disaster Risk Management (DRM) governed mainly by the Civil Protection Act, and section 56 of the Zimbabwe Constitution which provides for equal protection and benefit of the law. In conformity with the need to domesticate the Sendai Framework (2015-2030), the Parliament of Zimbabwe is in the process of reviewing the Civil Protection Act given that it was enacted in 1989 and is no longer responsive enough to the obtaining climate induced disasters. Equally, Government has drafted the Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management Bill now before Parliament,” Advocate Mudenda said.
He added that in line with regional practices, the Bill mainstreams gender issues, needs of persons with disability, child rights, sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) in national disaster responses.
Advocate Mudenda said as an institution responsible for the national budget and resource allocation, the Parliament of Zimbabwe has ensured that adequate funds are allocated towards disaster funds such as the Road Traffic Fund to cater for traffic disasters arising from catastrophic road accidents and the Mining Disaster Fund for the mining disasters.
“Furthermore, the Quelea (birds) Control Act of 1972 as amended in 2001, and the Meteorological Act (2004) are key laws in providing data and information input into Disaster Risk Reduction in order to enhance disaster preparedness efforts. Other legislations that are in place include the Parks and Wildlife “Act, of 1975, whose objective is on how to curtail human-wildlife conflicts and manage natural disasters which may occur in our national Parks. The recently amended Forest Act is now adequately equipped to deal with devastating veld fires which threaten the flora and fauna of our country,” Advocate Mudenda said.
With regards to policy framework, he said the Zimbabwe National Climate Policy of 2018, the National Climate Change Strategy and the draft National Adaptation Plan were in place and were all critical avenues in dealing with climate-induced disasters.
“It is one of key priorities of the 10th Parliament of Zimbabwe that adequate funds are provided for implementation of these disaster management policies as well as ensuring the finalisation of the Climate Change National Adaptation Plan.
Advocate Mudenda said in areas where there were legal gaps new laws would be passed.
“In that regard, the programme on Disaster Risk Management in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works in Zimbabwe was allocated a proposed resource envelope of US$7,5 million in the 2024 Budget so as to adequately deal with national natural disasters in a pre-emptive manner.
“It is undeniable that Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) play a pivotal role in Disaster Risk Reduction. In that regard, Parliamentarians, as advocates for disaster management efforts, can raise public awareness and institutionalise IKS as a critical component in national disaster management”.
Online Reporter