Bevan Musoko

Following the devastating Cyclone Idai that hit Chimanimani, Chipinge and parts of Masvingo and Mashonaland East provinces, members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces have been busy providing rescue and relief services, mainly in Chimanimani and Chipinge districts.

This gesture has been welcomed by the province's leadership with the Zanu PF Provincial Women's League Chairperson, Happiness Nyakuedzwa praising the security forces for working hard to rescue trapped people.

"Surely, were it not for the army, we don’t know how we, as a province, were going to cope with the scale of devastation and rescuing people trapped in mudslides. We thank the President for deploying soldier for the task."

Nyakuedzwa added that, while rescue efforts were on-going, it is foreseeable that currently listed as missing are presumably dead. With tears almost flowing from her eyes, the Provincial women's boss lamented that, while determined Government efforts to avail aid to all areas are underway, some areas are still inaccessible.

 "Our concern is those areas that are still inaccessible. While Government, donors and other foreign friends have availed huge quantities of aid, distribution logistics are still a challenge due to damage to road infrastructure."

Speaking on instinct as a politician, Nyakuedzwa bemoaned that her party, Zanu PF has lost a significant number of supporters, considering that both Chimanimani West and East are under Zanu PF legislators, Nokuthila Matsikenyeri and Joshua Sacco, respectively. Touched by the devastation and loss of human life, Zanu PF immediately mobilised its structures to render search and rescue efforts in the most affected areas.

She also praised Zanu PF national leadership for availing vehicles to transport aid and other logistics for the cyclone victims.

 Members of the Defence Forces are currently re-opening various roads that had become impassable to facilitate search efforts and distribution of relief supplies. Among the roads is Wengezi-Chimanimani road, while the Chipinge-Jopa road has been re-opened and is now in use.