Mnangagwa’s 19-point plan to help those affected by Cyclone Idai

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has announced a 19 point plan to help those affected by Cyclone Idai, including intensifying the search for those missing and ensuring food relief, free medical services, temporary shelter and clean water.

More than 140 people were killed by the devastating cyclone but the figure could be closer to 300 as several are still unaccounted for.

The 19-point plan is as follows:

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.

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