By A Correspondent- Responding to questions raised by legislators in parliament, Local government minister July Moyo said government was still grappling with the relocation mechanisms for communities affected by tropical Cyclone Idai, adding that the communities were still in dire need of psycho- social support.

He said:

“…..what is the acceptance level of relocation?  There are two kinds of relocation that we are dealing with. The 1 654 that are living in tents were reluctant to even move to tents when they were living in Chimanimani Hotel because our people do not want to live in tents.

It is social problems of keeping families intact and we have yet to grapple with this matter. We are very conscious of the fact that we need to move these people out of those tents but the militating factor was where to we put them?  

Do we move them from Ngangu as what an Hon. Member has asked, and put them in another area which we have not finally scientifically attested that it is safe?  Fortunately, the geo-physical map that we needed and desired has now been completed in much more detail.  We are able now at a glance to see which areas are susceptible to rock falling, to mud slides and to issues of floods. Now, I wish I had brought that map, it will show you exactly where we cannot locate people.

Unfortunately, in a lot of areas the situation does not look good. It is painted in red and we know that we will have to deal with this. There are some areas where it is correctly painted but fortunately for the areas near Chimanimani Township and in the areas where we want to resettle people including in Rusitu areas, there are areas that show to us that they are safe from mud slides and floods.  

Now, will people accept this?  The people who are in Ngangu, even those whose houses were not destroyed are willing to move and of course, we have to use persuasion for some of them to say you might not want to move but the situation is not good and now we can demonstrate to them.  When we go to areas like Rusitu where people are having their plantations; my colleague Hon. Shiri here can confirm. He had to put it to say, “can we move you?” There was dead silence but when he then said, “can we move you to safe grounds around the area where you can still access your fields?”  

They all applauded, so we have to do a lot of work to convince the people that where they are staying, even though it is at their plot where they are having these fields, they need to move.  I am happy that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, through this Budget, has already allocated some money so that we can deal with these issues of our people and have them relocated. 

Psychosocial – that will be on-going and we have mobilised people from universities, None Governmental Organisations, churches and they are all there participating.  It is not a short term issue.  Let us continue with the psycho-social counselling for the people there.

Some people are saying even our own officers who had been working with the deceased or other people who were made vulnerable also need psychosocial support.  So, we are going to continue with this programme.”