Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI-Villagers in Chiredzi South have refused to be cut off from the Central Business District (CBD) by the flooded Runde River, despite Tugwi-Mukosi dam spilling into the same river as they continuously cross using their home-made canoes.
Tugwi-Mukosi, the country’s biggest inland lake is spilling into the already flooded Runde River, where people from Chiredzi South and parts of Chiredzi East cross the river through the low lying Chilonga Causeway, which is currently covered by water.
Villagers then resort to cross the river using homemade canoes, which is risky to their lives as during the current rainy season, the river has since claimed two lives including that of a soldier who fell from a moving truck which was crossing through the causeway.
The situation has since been worsened by spilling Tugwi-Mukosi dam as the volume of water in Runde River has increased.
In an interview, Chiredzi District Development Coordinator and Civil Protection Unit (CPU) chairperson, Lovemore Chisema said it has become the villagers’ culture to cross the river using canoes during the rainy season despite the dangers it poses to them as using alternative routes to get to Chiredzi is expensive.
“This has slowly become a culture for those living across the river to cross using their home-made canoes during every rainy season despite the dangers it has to them as it claims more than five lives every year. Using alternative routes, like going via Rutenga is very expensive to them than to just pay US$ 2 to cross the river,” said Chisema.
Chisema also said they have incorporated opinion leaders at Chilonga to help in the campaign to encourage people not to cross the river when it is flooded.
“We are doing campaigns to educate villagers to desist from crossing the river when it is flooded and have also incorporated village elders and other opinion leaders at Chilonga Business Centre to help in the campaigns,” added Chisema.
The government of Zimbabwe is delaying the construction of Chilonga Bridge which requires more than US$20 million and has been budgeted for for more than three years without the actual work taking off.
