… As efforts to relocate Runyararo West flood victims remain pipe dream
By Beverly Bizeki
Masvingo City Council is in the process of widening the banks of a stream in Runyararo West as a solution to the perennial flooding that has seen some households in Davis Mugabe Street losing property and get stranded whenever there are heavy rains.
Masvingo City Mayor Alec Tabe said engagements to relocate the flood victims were still underway although land had already been identified for relocation, the immediate plan was to widen the nearby stream to divert the runoff during floods.
“Council has already identified land for the affected residents and we are waiting for other stakeholders to chip in. The relocation is not solely the responsibility of council and we have done our part. At the moment council intends to widen the Runyararo West stream and we anticipate the widening work to commence soon,” said Tabe.
According to a report by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC), ward 2 councilor Benson Hwata was quoted saying Masvingo City Council had plans to get an excavator to widen and deepen the stream that passes through the wetland where houses were built on.
“The ZHRC interviewed Mr Hwata and obtained information that, he was aware of the flooding houses along Davis Mugabe Street in Runyararo West. He stated that MCC was in the process of acquiring an excavator to widen and deepen the river as a measure to channel the water along the stream and avoid flooding,” reads part of the report.
Hwata told TellZim News in an interview that this was the immediate plan while awaiting the actual relocation of the victims.
“This is the immediate plan that council has towards assisting the flood victims as the rain season approaches. We are hoping that this can help save the residents’ properties from being soaked in water time and again while waiting for relocation. This might actually work for the better and might mean residents can stay in their homes,” said Hwata.
The Davis Mugabe residents have been receiving empty promises from responsible authorities for quite a long time with the relocation promise becoming a pipeline dream.
During the 2022-23 rainy season due to fear that the houses may collapse, Masvingo City Council evacuated affected residents to the District Development Fund offices (DDF) as a temporary measure.
To date, five mayors, namely Femius Chakabuda (the late), Hubert Fidze, Collen Maboke, Shantiel Chiwara, though short-lived, and now Alec Tabe, have failed to resolve the issue and the Tabe administration is taking its first step towards addressing the challenge.
The families were allocated stands at the confluence of two small streams in the area and the situation is said to be worsened by construction activities in Victoria Ranch.
Some sources close to the matter said at the time when the stands were allocated, in the mid-2000s, an engineer who was working at townhouse advised against it, which fell on deaf ears, although he had predicted the impending disaster due to the presence of water bodies nearby.
