Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. For brother and sister Onayi and Tatenda, the death of their parents in March 2019 at a time when they were still young could not have come at a worse time.
Onayi, now a second-year Pharmaceutical Sciences student at the University of Zimbabwe, said on the fateful day in March 2019, their parents left for Mozambique via Chimanimani where they picked up some merchandise.
“Our parents were cross-border traders, paying for our school fees and day-to-day survival. We want closure. We were just told our parents were among the victims of the deadly Cyclone Idai. Whether they were washed down into the Indian Ocean, or they were buried in the earth somewhere in Chimanimani, we don’t know and might never get to know,” said Onayi.
After their parents’ demise, the duo was raised by relatives and well-wishers from the neighbourhood, who were touched by their situation.
“I think authorities must capacitate communities to respond better to these calamities as well as help build resilience in disaster-prone areas,” reminisced Tatenda, in between sobs.
She added that authorities must take warnings of disasters into communities as soon as they get information from weather experts.
“If warnings had been issued, our parents would have been here with us today, but perhaps what pains us most is that we never got to know where our parents met their fate — around the flattened Ngangu Police Station or elsewhere in Chimanimani,” she told NewsDay.
Now, six years since the horrific 2019 disaster, a lot still needs to be done in terms of disaster preparedness for communities that reside not only in Chimanimani but in other disaster-prone parts of the country.
Reports during the time said the Machongwe business centre, schools, as well as government offices around Chimanimani, were destroyed while 39 learners, their head and three teachers from a school in Rusitu were swept away by the raging Cyclone Idai floods.
Stories of the devastation of Cyclone Idai have stolen the allure of Chimanimani, an area known for its breathtaking scenery and other natural attractions, among them the mountains that overlook the border with Mozambique.
Chimanimani and Chipinge in the eastern province of Manicaland, bore the brunt of Cyclone Idai.
The disaster reportedly killed over 340 people while hundreds of others went missing as the cyclone, which also affected over 270 000 others through flooding, landslides and other cyclone-related calamities.
Owing to the lives lost, flattened homes and other infrastructure worth and estimated US$274 million, Idai is flagged as one of the worst climate-induced disasters to hit Zimbabwe in recent times, placing issues of disaster preparedness, sustainable response mechanisms, resilience building, adaptation and mitigation on top of priorities aimed at alleviating impacts on disaster-prone communities in the future.
The cyclone also left trails of destruction in regional peers Mozambique and Malawi, while inland districts such as Buhera, Gutu, Zaka, Bikita, Mvuma and Chirumhanzu were also left in need of aid and infrastructure rehabilitation.
The cyclones serve as wake-up calls for the strengthening of community risk response mechanisms.
Gilbert Mandaga, founder of Green Africa Network — an organisation that promotes sustainable community participation in conserving the natural environment — said a multi-stakeholder approach was key in enhancing disaster resilience in communities.
“To enhance disaster resilience, the government must accelerate the finalisation of the Disaster Risk Management and Civil Protection Bill, thus establishing a robust policy framework that empowers local levels with devolved powers and resources.
“Effective disaster risk reduction preparedness requires collaborative effort from diverse stakeholders, guided by a robust disaster management architecture. This framework should comprise four key pillars, namely prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Emphasis on these pillars affirms proactive measures to reduce risks and vulnerabilities that can be undertaken by local communities, non-governmental organisations, as well as government agencies,” Mandaga told NewsDay.
While referring to Cyclone Idai, Mandaga added that the collaborative approach would cascade to well-coordinated actions that saved lives, protect property and provided relief during disasters.
“As a result, collaborative efforts to restore and rebuild communities while promoting sustainability and resilience become attainable.
“With a clear command structure and strategic deployment of skills, experiences, expertise, resources and talent, effective disaster management becomes achievable. By working together as a nation, leveraging on our diverse responsibilities and adhering to the disaster management architecture, we can ensure effective disaster risk reduction preparedness, reduce the impact of disasters and save lives and livelihoods of affected communities,” he told NewsDay.
The environmental activist said as climate change intensified, indigenous communities were disproportionately affected, facing erosion of their traditional practices, livelihoods and cultural heritage.
“To address this, prioritising climate justice through active community engagement is crucial, empowering communities to preserve indigenous knowledge systems. We, therefore, must develop context-specific disaster risk reduction strategies and foster resilience and adaptability. This approach ensures that disaster knowledge is inclusive, culturally sensitive and effective in supporting vulnerable communities.
“Cyclone Idai in particular, highlighted the disproportionate impact of disasters on women and children, who faced increased vulnerability due to their limited access to resources, roles in agriculture and household management. This underscores the need for inclusive disaster risk reduction strategies that address women’s specific needs and promote gender equality during disaster response and recovery.”
According to Mandaga, it is now five years after the devastation of Cyclone Idai, but Zimbabwe still needs to ensure people have proper structures that can withstand extreme weather conditions, while educational campaigns must continue in all disaster-prone areas.
“Communities must be empowered by getting them informed of the impact of such disasters. Livestock and other property were lost, and communities need to be capacitated to better deal with similar calamities in the future,” he said.
Response mechanisms, added Mandaga, must be put in place, starting with the Department of Civil Protection at the national, provincial and district levels to ensure people who need assistance get it timely manner.
Zimbabwe, like many other countries in Africa and beyond, is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts. The country’s reliance on rain-fed agriculture, limited infrastructure and socio-economic challenges exacerbate its susceptibility to climate-related shocks, underlining the importance of community capacitation.
Zimbabwe is experiencing increased temperatures, changing precipitation patterns and more frequent extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods.
The country’s industrial and agricultural activities contribute to air and water pollution, further degrading the environment. On the other hand, climate change is undermining human development gains, particularly in rural communities, where livelihoods are closely tied to natural resources.
The pursuit of sustainable development requires a balanced approach that considers both economic growth and environmental sustainability.
There is an urgent need to develop and strengthen a comprehensive climate change policy framework for the country to address mitigation, adaptation and resilience-building while at the same time building the capacity of government institutions and local authorities to develop and implement climate change strategies.
The promotion of community engagement is imperative as these have to be engaged on climate change issues and adaptation efforts, supporting the preservation of indigenous knowledge systems.
Like trends worldwide, Zimbabwe should prioritise investment in renewable energy sources to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, thus mitigating climate change impacts.
Zimbabwe is currently investing in supporting climate-resilient agriculture. This is the way to go as the promotion of climate-resilient agricultural practices, including conservation agriculture and agroforestry, to enhance food security and support vulnerable communities and strengthen community responses.
Women and girls, as well as other vulnerable groups, need to be empowered through climate change education and training to enhance their resilience to climate change impacts.
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