Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Source: Let’s focus our thoughts on this tragedy | The Herald 22 MAR, 2019

President Mnangagwa

Good evening fellow Zimbabweans,
Once again I address you tonight both to update you on the tragic cyclone disaster which befell our nation last week, and to help keep us focused on this tragedy until the situation stabilises. Allow me firstly, to express deepest gratitude to those of our citizens, inclusive of different arms of Government, our uniformed services and cooperating partners who came forward with generous donations and assistance to the relief effort. I also recognise and pay tribute in a very special way to foreign governments, organisations, and citizens whose deep sense of compassion has moved them to stand by us in this hour of great national grief and need.

Our nation shall always be grateful for their assistance.

I was able to witness first hand the fury of the cyclone and the great devastation it left in its wake. As we now know, we have lost many citizens, with the human toll likely to reach several hundreds. I came face to face with the horrific accounts of many who continue to grieve the loss of loved ones and are living in the hope of the recovery of their remnants. We continue to work with our neighbouring sister Republic of Mozambique — itself a victim of the same cyclone, to ensure as many remains of our people as possible are recovered and brought back home for decent burials.

In Rusitu, I saw with unmitigated despair, big boulders recklessly strewn on what used to be a settlement, a banana market and even a police post. In respect of the latter, both the serving officer and prisoners were washed away, alongside other Government structures and private residences. The settlement was completely washed away, and the remains of the occupants unaccounted for to this day.

Such is the horrific tragedy which hit us last week, one sure to stay in our memories for years to come. So, too, will the scars: on individuals, on families, on communities and on our nation as a whole.

We all have to try our best to bring comfort to one another, especially to those affected. To that end, Government is declaring two days of national mourning, starting this Saturday, in honour of all those we have lost, and to spare a thought for those still grieving. We expect all our citizens, both individually and collectively, and in different ways which are informed by their faiths, beliefs and cultures, to remember all our dear departed: by way of prayers, and in whatever other forms and practices.

Above all, the two days should allow us to concentrate and focus our thoughts on this tragedy which is sure to ramify in many ways in the lives of our people and that of our nation. On its part, Government will concentrate on the following actions:

1) Intensify the search for all persons still missing from the cyclone disaster;

2) Recover and decently bury any bodies or remains which are still outstanding;

3) Ensure adequate food relief to affected families and communities between now and the next harvest;

4) Provide free medical services to all those affected by the cyclone;

5) Provide temporary shelter to the victims of the cyclone;

6) Ensure safe and clean water supply to affected communities;

7) Restore key social services and amenities to affected communities;

8) Restore communication services, both hard and soft, so affected families re-integrate with the rest of the country;

9) Take measures to prevent outbreaks of diseases and epidemics in and around affected communities;

10) Secure the lives and educational opportunities for children of families affected by the cyclone;

11) Begin to repair broken livelihoods for affected families and communities through a variety of interventions;

12) Create safety nets and recovery programmes for the poor and vulnerable in those communities to help them recover and escape the poverty ratchet effect;

13) Relocate settlements to safer areas;

14) Through Government-sponsored programmes, support the rebuilding of stronger and more durable structures of shelter for our rural communities, starting with families in susceptible areas. Our whole approach to built environments just has to change in light of experiences of this deadly cyclone;

15) Embark on comprehensive disaster mapping for our whole country;

16) Rework the national disaster management plan to make sure our nation is better prepared for disasters in future;

17) Build a National Disaster Fund which finances programmes and projects meant to fortify communities against future disasters;

18) Lobby for a sub-regional disaster prevention and management strategy and;

19) Intensify greater global advocacy and action against climate change.

In all these measures, Government will proceed by way of broad consultations at all levels, and with all citizens to ensure there is consensus. For when all is said and done, a good disaster plan is one that enlists the support and involvement of communities.

Let me thank you once more for your help, support, sympathies and prayers. Above all, thank you for the great unity and sense of community activism which has shown in our nation. It is a great resource we should always nurture, indeed our most durable defence against any disaster.

I thank you and a very good night.

The post Let’s focus our thoughts on this tragedy  appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: 7 Chivhu touts jailed, 6 fined | Newsday (News)

BY JAIROS SAUNYAMA

Seven of the 13 Chivhu men who were last week arrested for touting have been sentenced to five months in prison, while the other six were fined $100.

The seven, who appeared before a Chivhu magistrate on Monday, will, however, serve an effective three-month jail term each, after two months were suspended on condition of good behaviour.

The incarceration follows a police blitz in Mashonaland East province to remove touts from ranks.

Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tendai Mwanza yesterday said more touts will be rounded up as they move to bring sanity at commuter ranks in all towns and growth points in the province.

“ZRP Mashonaland East is on an overdrive to rid the province of any lawlessness. Recently, touts in Chivhu were arrested after frequent reports of harassment and theft against citizens at ranks. This prompted the police to embark on an operation targeting ranks and those operating the illegal Mushikashika.

“We applaud the judicial system for the stiffer penalties, because this will go a long way in bringing sanity to the bus ranks. We urge members of the public, who may fall victim to such rowdy behaviour, to report to police so that those behind the act are brought to book,” Mwanza said.

The jailed touts were arrested at the weekend, while the other six who were fined were arrested on March 12.

Touting is prevalent in most towns and cities in the country, with most perpetrators oblivious that it is a crime chargeable under criminal nuisance.

The post 7 Chivhu touts jailed, 6 fined appeared first on NewsDay Zimbabwe.

The post 7 Chivhu touts jailed, 6 fined appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

HE walks around commando-style and claims to be minding his own business. Every day in the morning Busani Khumalo from Cowdray Park in Bulawayo wakes up and walks around his yard wearing nothing with his big manhood dangling from side to side. His antics have earned him attention from women in the neighbourhood who have […]

CHICAGO (AP) — R. Kelly yelled through tears in a recent TV interview before an audience numbering in the millions, saying he’s in a fight for his life to disprove sexual abuse charges. That fight [...]

Source: Idai: Two days of mourning declared | The Herald 22 MAR, 2019

President Mnangagwa

Fidelis Munyoro Senior Reporter
President Mnangagwa has declared Saturday and Sunday  national mourning days in honour of those who perished owing to Cyclone Idai that left a trail of destruction in Chimanimani and Chipinge last week.

The President made the announcement last night at State House, while giving an update on the disaster.

He implored the nation to spare a thought for those still grieving.

“We expect all our citizens, both individually and collectively, and in different ways which are informed by their faiths, beliefs and cultures, to remember all our dear departed by way of prayers and in whatever other forms and practices,” he said.

“Above all, the two days should allow us to concentrate and focus our thoughts on this tragedy which is sure to ramify in many ways in the lives of our people and that of our nation.”

President Mnangagwa paid tribute to Zimbabweans including different arms of Government, uniformed services and cooperating partners as well as foreign governments that provided assistance.

“I also recognise and pay tribute in a very special way to foreign governments, organisations and citizens whose deep sense of compassion has moved them to stand by us in this hour of great national grief and need. Our nation shall always be grateful for their assistance,” he said.

President Mnangagwa, who visited the affected areas, said the Government would continue to work with Mozambique — also a victim of the cyclone to ensure “as many remains of our people as possible are recovered and brought back home for descent burials.

“As we know, we have lost many citizens with the human toll likely to reach several hundreds.

“I came face-to-face with the horrific accounts of many who continue to grieve the loss of loved ones and are living in the hope of the recovery of their remains.”

“In Rusitu, I saw with unmitigated despair, big boulders recklessly strewn on what used to be a settlement, a banana market and even a police post. In respect of the latter, both the serving officer and prisoners were washed away, alongside other Government structures and private residences. The settlement was completely washed away and the remains of the occupants unaccounted for to this day.”

“Such is the horrific tragedy which hit us last week, one sure to stay in our memories for years to come. So, too, will the scars on individuals, on families, on communities and on our nation as a whole,” he said.

President Mnangagwa outlined a cocktail of measures in response to damages suffered.

The Government, he said, would intensify the search for all persons still missing from the cyclone disaster and recover and decently bury remains which are still outstanding.

“Ensure adequate food relief to affected families and communities between now and the next harvest, provide free medical services to all those affected by the cyclone,” said President Mnangagwa.

Government would provide temporary shelter to victims of the cyclone and provide safe and clean water supplies to affected communities as well as restoring key social services and amenities to affected communities.

“Restore communication services, both hard and soft, so that affected communities re-integrated with the rest of the country, take measures to prevent outbreaks of diseases and epidemics in and around affected communities,” he said.

The measures also include securing the lives and educational opportunities for children of families affected by the cyclone, begin to repair broken livelihoods for the affected families and their communities through a variety of interventions.

President Mnangagwa said Government would create safety nets and recovery programmes for the poor and vulnerable in the affected communities to help them recover and escape the poverty ratchet effect.

He said Government would relocate settlements to safer areas.

“Through government sponsored programmes support the rebuilding of stronger and more durable structures of shelter for our rural communities starting with families in susceptible areas,” he said. “Our whole approach to build environments just has to change in light of experience of this deadly cyclone.”

President Mnangagwa said Government would further embark on a comprehensive disaster mapping for the entire country and rework the national disaster management plan to make the nation better prepared for disasters in future.

After the cyclone disaster, President Mnangagwa said Government is going to build a national disaster fund to finance programmes and projects meant to fortify communities against future disasters and lobby for a sub-regional disaster prevention and management strategy as well as intensifying greater global advocacy and action against claimate change.

“In all these measures, Government will proceed by way of broad consultations at all levels and with all citizens to ensure there is consensus,” he said.

“For when all is said and done, a good disaster plan is one that enlist the support and involvement of communities.”

President Mnangagwa thanked Zimbabweans and all those who came on board with assistance to the victims of the cyclone for their support, sympathies and prayers in a clear demonstration of great sense of community activism.

The post Idai: Two days of mourning declared appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.