Tinaani Nyabereka
Gweru– The Civil Protection Unit (CPU) last week engaged the church over disaster management preparedness in the province.
The event hosted by Zimbabwe Head of Christians Denominations (ZHOCD) in Gweru aimed at making efforts to equip the church on disaster management mechanisms.
Speaking on the sidelines of the engagement, Deputy Director in the Office of the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Isaac Mtambara said CPU saw it fit to engage the church as disaster management requires a multi-sectorial approach.
“For successful Civil Protection Unit interventions, definitely we need to adopt to a multi sectorial approach as this is an all-inclusive mechanism which requires all hands on desk. Organizations, churches, Chiefs and people from different wards all have a bigger role to play. The reason for this multi-sectorial approach is for us to look at the situation together by easily identifying those affected and mapping the way forward together.
“As for our communities, they are well structured to cater for proper information dissemination but if the communities happen to have information gaps, it then means someone will be sitting on their jobs,” said Mutamba.
He also said the recently experienced flooding in Woodlands and Mkoba suburbs have been attributed to poor drainage systems in the city.
“Poor drainage systems are the sole cause of flooding in Woodlands and some parts of Mkoba, so we urge our Gweru local authority and Vungu Rural Council to see to it that we have an effective and well attended to drainage system to avert this challenge for good.
“We are still working with our local authority to find out how we can assist the affected families though we want an urgent intervention to the drainages,” he added.
Midlands State University (MSU) Lecturer in the Department of Development Studies, Dr Douglas Munemo said use of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) in disaster management was a vital element.
“IKS remains a vital tool in disaster management as it help us along the Eurocentric mechanisms. So there is need for us to try and incorporate IKS into our curriculum. We ought to see management which is independent where people use mechanisms which are around them than always being dependent on government for help.
“There is need to harness and finding out what the country have in terms of dealing with disasters, thus looking at Flora and Fauna. For instance fruits like Mazhanje predict hunger so the mechanism behind is tree bearing much fruits to is concluded as a net which cover hunger,” said Munemo.
He added that there was power in triangulating Europe-based knowledge.
Over 980 households were reportedly affected by flash floods in Gweru from the heavy rains that hit the city early this year.
The District CPU vice-chairperson Tarisayi Mudadigwa said the affected areas were Woodlands Phase 2, Mkoba 3, and 4.
The unit has mobilized resources to assist Gweru City Council to clear water drainages.
