Opinion / Columnist
MDC calls for an Extraordinary Summit on Idai
25 Mar 2019 at 12:56hrs | Views
There are three SADC countries which were hard hit by Cyclone Idai. Thousands of lives have been lost in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
Many people are still uncounted for, thousands are homeless, and survivors are facing many huddles in getting themselves on their feet once
more. They face starvation with no water to drink, they were subjected to serious psychological torture resulting in psychological inflammation.
Countless families are homeless, villages were wiped off, roads, clinics, schools and bridges were devoured by the aggressive wind and water.
The MDC contends that a lot could have been done considering there is a whole floor dedicated for disaster management at the SADC head
office in Botswana. We have seen individual efforts from member States particularly assistance sent by President Magufuli on behalf of the
people of Tanzania. This is much appreciated.
Citizens of SADC countries also coordinated themselves to assist fellow countrymen.
We are of the view that an urgent extra-ordinary summit of SADC should be convened with the view to do the following:
1. To set up an intervention framework to deal with urgent needs including food, health, shelter and essential infrastructure.
2. To review the challenges faced by the department on disaster management at SADC and provide necessary support.
3. To deal with rescue missions specifically in countries lacking in capacity.
4. To put in place urgent mitigation and management measures with information of yet another storm looming.
These being purely people issues, the MDC hopes the absence of the cynicism that comes from perpetual immersion in the region's plague
infested waters of politics, will give optimism that leadership will be provided.
MDC: Defining a New Course for Zimbabwe!
Jacob Mafume
MDC National Spokesperson
Many people are still uncounted for, thousands are homeless, and survivors are facing many huddles in getting themselves on their feet once
more. They face starvation with no water to drink, they were subjected to serious psychological torture resulting in psychological inflammation.
Countless families are homeless, villages were wiped off, roads, clinics, schools and bridges were devoured by the aggressive wind and water.
The MDC contends that a lot could have been done considering there is a whole floor dedicated for disaster management at the SADC head
office in Botswana. We have seen individual efforts from member States particularly assistance sent by President Magufuli on behalf of the
people of Tanzania. This is much appreciated.
Citizens of SADC countries also coordinated themselves to assist fellow countrymen.
We are of the view that an urgent extra-ordinary summit of SADC should be convened with the view to do the following:
1. To set up an intervention framework to deal with urgent needs including food, health, shelter and essential infrastructure.
3. To deal with rescue missions specifically in countries lacking in capacity.
4. To put in place urgent mitigation and management measures with information of yet another storm looming.
These being purely people issues, the MDC hopes the absence of the cynicism that comes from perpetual immersion in the region's plague
infested waters of politics, will give optimism that leadership will be provided.
MDC: Defining a New Course for Zimbabwe!
Jacob Mafume
MDC National Spokesperson
Source - Jacob Mafume
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