Hon Khaya Moyo Simon
From George Maponga in Mwenezi
Government says all the families relocated from Tokwe-Mukosi following floods in the dam basin and downstream areas in Chivi are receiving aid and other forms of assistance irrespective of their political affiliation.
Senior Minister of State in the President’s Office Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo yesterday rubbished allegations that distribution of aid to hundreds of evacuated families at Chingwizi holding camp in the Nuanetsi ranch was being done along political lines, saying every Zimbabwean affected by the floods was assisted. Speaking during a tour of the holding camp, Ambassador Khaya Moyo, who was in the company of several Cabinet Ministers, castigated those peddling falsehoods over aid at Chingwizi.
“There are some mischievous characters who are peddling falsehoods about the situation at Chingwizi and we will not allow them to do that,’’ he said.
“We want to make it clear that every Zimbabwean affected by flooding in the Tokwe-Mukosi Dam basin and surrounding areas is being assisted.
“We are not looking at one’s political party to give assistance and it’s unfortunate that there are some who are making political statements about the issue. Assistance is reaching everyone,’’ he said. Ambassador Khaya Moyo, who is also the Zanu-PF national chairman, said plans were being worked out to relocate over 20 000 cattle and other livestock from the dam basin to a more secure area.
Families at Chingwizi say they are concerned about the fate of their livestock that remained behind following their evacuation.
Ambassador Khaya Moyo added that the rapid response to the disaster at Tokwe-Mukosi showed that the Zanu-PF Government was people-centred.
“The Zanu-PF Government will not abandon the people who gave us another mandate to govern them after overwhelmingly voting for President Mugabe and the party in the last elections. Government is sincere when it comes to challenges faced by its people.
“This is evidenced by the response that we made after the flooding. President Mugabe declared a state of disaster to pave way for the flow of assistance. Ambassador Khaya Moyo emphasised the importance of working in unison as a nation saying the successes being scored at Tokwe-Mukosi were fruits of a country working in unity,” he said.
Government would speedily set up proper settlements at Chingwizi so that families there do not live like refugees.
Lands and Rural Resettlement minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora told the families that four more teams would soon be deployed to Chingwizi to bring to 10 the teams involved in pegging plots for their permanent homes.