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Chombo's Address to Senate on Tokwe-Mukorsi Dam Disaster
15 Feb 2014 at 03:23hrs | Views
TOKWE/MUKORSI DISASTER
THE MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC WORKS AND NATIONAL HOUSING (DR. CHOMBO)
Madam President and hon. members of this august Senate, allow me to make a statement on the Tokwe/Mukorsi Dam flooding which has since been declared a state of disaster by His Excellency, the President, in terms of Subsection 1 of Section 27 of the Civil Protection Act, Chapter 10:6 on 9 th February, 2014.
Members will recall that the Tokwe Mukorsi Dam construction was a planned project, whose impact had the outcome of displacing 6 393 families from the flood basin to designated relocation sites.
Masangula relocation site has a capacity of 485 families and is in Mwenezi District, 140 km from the dam. Chisase location is in Masvingo District, has a carrying capacity 126 families and lies some 50 km from the dam site.
Both above planned sites have been fully subscribed, unlike Chingwizi site in Mwenezi, which is a current focus for relocation activities. This site is 220 km from the dam, with a capacity to absorb 25 025 families.
Only 520 plots with the site have been planned with the remainder at various stages of evelopment. The original plan timeframe for relocation was in three phases. Phase one was planned to displace 1 247 families, while phase two would displace a further 1 878 families.
The third and final stage would see the relocation of a further 3 268 families to tally with the 6 393 families for the whole project. A total of 18 764 cattle, sheep, goats and donkeys were also to be relocated.
The incessant rains which have fallen countrywide have had the effect of distorting the whole planned and staggered process into one, major evaluation process, instead of the projected four years.
Equally, the project budge subvention for the process was time framed for the four year life of this project. Forced with the monumental flood induced search and rescue exercise, combined with need to speed up the relocation process, it became imperative that extraordinary measures had to be adapted to coordinate all activities for the common good of ensuring and orderly solution to these challenges.
To that extent, His Excellency, the President was requested to invoke the declaration of a state of disaster, which among other things has to unlock Government resources to meet the challenge. The Cabinet Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management under my Chairmanship was convened to oversee management of the disaster.
Membership of this Committee comprises Ministries of Defence, Lands, Environment, Water and Climate, Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation, Ministry of Health and Child Care, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry Public
Service, Labour and Social Welfare among others. This Committee has a responsibility to ensure integration of disaster risk reduction measure into development and optimum readiness for disaster.
Apart from the coordination of the disaster, the taskforce will also be responsible for supervising, resource mobilisation and information management and dissemination, which are critical features of disaster management.
The strategy on the ground involves the use of tractors to move families from the water front to three designated staging posts. From here, the lorries then transport the families to Chingwizi forrelocation.
However, due to tractor challenges, some villagers have resorted to using scotch carts and other means to go to staging posts in readiness for relocation. Augmentation of transportation will ease the relocation process. To date Madam President and Members of this august Senate, I wish to inform you that out of the 2 514 households in immediate danger, 120 have been relocated.
156 cattle have been relocated. The original fleet of lorries for relocation has increased from 15 to 24 and another 10 are expected today from DDF and other cooperative partners.
The Air force of Zimbabwe has air lifted 50 people who were marooned in basin to safety. Air rescue is also taking place countrywide in response to emergency calls. This process of air lifting, most likely would be concluded today but some of our people are running away when the helicopter comes because they do not want to leave their belongings unattended.
Nine boreholes have been drilled in the relocation sites, nine tractors are in place for extrication of families from water front to staging posts on higher ground where tractors can move.
An additional eight tractors and trailer are expected to arrive tomorrow. Tents to give shelter to 2 114 are in urgent demand, mosquito nets for 7 542 people are also in urgent as well as the need for water purification tablets.
Food for emergency feeding for who have lost their stock as well as sustenance for 0ne year will have to be made available. Meanwhile, altruistic Zimbabweans in the individual and corporate capacities have made donations and pledges to the cause of the affected families in the hour of need.
May I also appeal to hon. senators here, whose constituencies have an abundance of grass for thatching to organise their people to provide this resource which is in serious short supply in Masvingo Province. Logistics for the transportation of the grass to the intended destination will be worked out.
Some of the donations made so far are as follows: Red Cross 600 tents, IOM, 600 tarpoline, 100 water tablets, 400 blankets, 400 mosquito nets, 6 000 nails, 14 shovels, 1 000 aqua tapes, 2 x 10 tonne trucks, a 75 seater bus, N. Richards and Company: 100 x 10 kg mealie-meal, 6 000 x 500 g beans, 1000 x 1 kg salt.
Malilangwe Trust: 240 x 2 litre cooking oil, 350 x 10 kg mealie-meal. Morgenster Teachers' College: 1 tonne mealie-meal, 70 kg kapenta, cooking oil, rice, salt, tea leaves, Royco soup, beans, plates, buckets, Cremora. Tongaat Hullets: 2 514 x 20 kg mealie-meal, 2 514 x 2 litres cooking oil and 2 514 x 2 blankets.
Child Survival: 1 tonne of mealie-meal, cooking oil, sugar, salt, kapenta, boxes of green bar soap, sanitary pads and rice. RTG: 122 blankets, bed frills, duvets, three boxes of crockery. Tineo Enterprises, 100 moon blankets, 52 stripe blankets. Dr. Mangudya, 10 tonnes of maize, Rooneys: tents, ground sheets, large plates, fish plates, slide plates, dessert bowls, oatmeal salad bowl, soup bowls, tea cups, Vaseline, cooking oil and 2 tonnes of used men's suits from Central Dry Cleaners.
Farmers Union: 3 tonnes of maize. Christian Care, one 7 tonne truck and fuel; Masimba Holdings 8 tonne truck; Bhaso 300 litres diesel; ZLG water, 1 000 bottles, 200 duvets, mealie meal and cabbages; ZWOMIT gave us 10 tonnes of maize meal, sanitary pads, tents and groceries.
Madam President, just for clarity, I will read the statistics of the situation as on the 11th February, 2014. Once again, the number of families to be relocated 6 393; number of families in level 60 which is the danger zone 1 247; number of families in high flood zone 1878; number of families in buffer zone 3 268; number of families relocated to date 712; number of families to be relocated as a result of this particular emergency 2 540; number of cattle, goats and sheep, I said 18 764; number of school going children Primary 8 167; number of school going children Secondary 2 295; number of families whose properties has already been evaluated for payment 1 950; number of families that Government has already compensated 896; number of families yet to be compensated 1 054. The capacities, I have already given you.
The number of clinics to be constructed at Masangula 2; clinics to be constructed at Chisase 1; clinics to be constructed at Chingwizi 2; number of boreholes that need to be drilled at Masangula 42; at Chisase 42; at Chingwizi 63; number of schools to be constructed at Chisase 1; at Masangula 3 and Chingwizi 5.
So, these figures clearly spell the extent of the situation that we are dealing with. The mood of our people is quite good; it is incumbent upon us that we move as quickly as we can, so that their desperate situation can be ameliorated.
Thank you, Madam President
THE MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC WORKS AND NATIONAL HOUSING (DR. CHOMBO)
Madam President and hon. members of this august Senate, allow me to make a statement on the Tokwe/Mukorsi Dam flooding which has since been declared a state of disaster by His Excellency, the President, in terms of Subsection 1 of Section 27 of the Civil Protection Act, Chapter 10:6 on 9 th February, 2014.
Members will recall that the Tokwe Mukorsi Dam construction was a planned project, whose impact had the outcome of displacing 6 393 families from the flood basin to designated relocation sites.
Masangula relocation site has a capacity of 485 families and is in Mwenezi District, 140 km from the dam. Chisase location is in Masvingo District, has a carrying capacity 126 families and lies some 50 km from the dam site.
Both above planned sites have been fully subscribed, unlike Chingwizi site in Mwenezi, which is a current focus for relocation activities. This site is 220 km from the dam, with a capacity to absorb 25 025 families.
Only 520 plots with the site have been planned with the remainder at various stages of evelopment. The original plan timeframe for relocation was in three phases. Phase one was planned to displace 1 247 families, while phase two would displace a further 1 878 families.
The third and final stage would see the relocation of a further 3 268 families to tally with the 6 393 families for the whole project. A total of 18 764 cattle, sheep, goats and donkeys were also to be relocated.
The incessant rains which have fallen countrywide have had the effect of distorting the whole planned and staggered process into one, major evaluation process, instead of the projected four years.
Equally, the project budge subvention for the process was time framed for the four year life of this project. Forced with the monumental flood induced search and rescue exercise, combined with need to speed up the relocation process, it became imperative that extraordinary measures had to be adapted to coordinate all activities for the common good of ensuring and orderly solution to these challenges.
To that extent, His Excellency, the President was requested to invoke the declaration of a state of disaster, which among other things has to unlock Government resources to meet the challenge. The Cabinet Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management under my Chairmanship was convened to oversee management of the disaster.
Membership of this Committee comprises Ministries of Defence, Lands, Environment, Water and Climate, Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation, Ministry of Health and Child Care, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry Public
Service, Labour and Social Welfare among others. This Committee has a responsibility to ensure integration of disaster risk reduction measure into development and optimum readiness for disaster.
Apart from the coordination of the disaster, the taskforce will also be responsible for supervising, resource mobilisation and information management and dissemination, which are critical features of disaster management.
The strategy on the ground involves the use of tractors to move families from the water front to three designated staging posts. From here, the lorries then transport the families to Chingwizi forrelocation.
However, due to tractor challenges, some villagers have resorted to using scotch carts and other means to go to staging posts in readiness for relocation. Augmentation of transportation will ease the relocation process. To date Madam President and Members of this august Senate, I wish to inform you that out of the 2 514 households in immediate danger, 120 have been relocated.
156 cattle have been relocated. The original fleet of lorries for relocation has increased from 15 to 24 and another 10 are expected today from DDF and other cooperative partners.
The Air force of Zimbabwe has air lifted 50 people who were marooned in basin to safety. Air rescue is also taking place countrywide in response to emergency calls. This process of air lifting, most likely would be concluded today but some of our people are running away when the helicopter comes because they do not want to leave their belongings unattended.
Nine boreholes have been drilled in the relocation sites, nine tractors are in place for extrication of families from water front to staging posts on higher ground where tractors can move.
An additional eight tractors and trailer are expected to arrive tomorrow. Tents to give shelter to 2 114 are in urgent demand, mosquito nets for 7 542 people are also in urgent as well as the need for water purification tablets.
Food for emergency feeding for who have lost their stock as well as sustenance for 0ne year will have to be made available. Meanwhile, altruistic Zimbabweans in the individual and corporate capacities have made donations and pledges to the cause of the affected families in the hour of need.
May I also appeal to hon. senators here, whose constituencies have an abundance of grass for thatching to organise their people to provide this resource which is in serious short supply in Masvingo Province. Logistics for the transportation of the grass to the intended destination will be worked out.
Some of the donations made so far are as follows: Red Cross 600 tents, IOM, 600 tarpoline, 100 water tablets, 400 blankets, 400 mosquito nets, 6 000 nails, 14 shovels, 1 000 aqua tapes, 2 x 10 tonne trucks, a 75 seater bus, N. Richards and Company: 100 x 10 kg mealie-meal, 6 000 x 500 g beans, 1000 x 1 kg salt.
Malilangwe Trust: 240 x 2 litre cooking oil, 350 x 10 kg mealie-meal. Morgenster Teachers' College: 1 tonne mealie-meal, 70 kg kapenta, cooking oil, rice, salt, tea leaves, Royco soup, beans, plates, buckets, Cremora. Tongaat Hullets: 2 514 x 20 kg mealie-meal, 2 514 x 2 litres cooking oil and 2 514 x 2 blankets.
Child Survival: 1 tonne of mealie-meal, cooking oil, sugar, salt, kapenta, boxes of green bar soap, sanitary pads and rice. RTG: 122 blankets, bed frills, duvets, three boxes of crockery. Tineo Enterprises, 100 moon blankets, 52 stripe blankets. Dr. Mangudya, 10 tonnes of maize, Rooneys: tents, ground sheets, large plates, fish plates, slide plates, dessert bowls, oatmeal salad bowl, soup bowls, tea cups, Vaseline, cooking oil and 2 tonnes of used men's suits from Central Dry Cleaners.
Farmers Union: 3 tonnes of maize. Christian Care, one 7 tonne truck and fuel; Masimba Holdings 8 tonne truck; Bhaso 300 litres diesel; ZLG water, 1 000 bottles, 200 duvets, mealie meal and cabbages; ZWOMIT gave us 10 tonnes of maize meal, sanitary pads, tents and groceries.
Madam President, just for clarity, I will read the statistics of the situation as on the 11th February, 2014. Once again, the number of families to be relocated 6 393; number of families in level 60 which is the danger zone 1 247; number of families in high flood zone 1878; number of families in buffer zone 3 268; number of families relocated to date 712; number of families to be relocated as a result of this particular emergency 2 540; number of cattle, goats and sheep, I said 18 764; number of school going children Primary 8 167; number of school going children Secondary 2 295; number of families whose properties has already been evaluated for payment 1 950; number of families that Government has already compensated 896; number of families yet to be compensated 1 054. The capacities, I have already given you.
The number of clinics to be constructed at Masangula 2; clinics to be constructed at Chisase 1; clinics to be constructed at Chingwizi 2; number of boreholes that need to be drilled at Masangula 42; at Chisase 42; at Chingwizi 63; number of schools to be constructed at Chisase 1; at Masangula 3 and Chingwizi 5.
So, these figures clearly spell the extent of the situation that we are dealing with. The mood of our people is quite good; it is incumbent upon us that we move as quickly as we can, so that their desperate situation can be ameliorated.
Thank you, Madam President
Source - Byo24News
