The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
THE allocation of houses to the first 20 families whose properties were destroyed by Cyclone Idai is expected to be done by March 15 as the Government is finalising the list of beneficiaries for units being built at West End Farm near Nhedziwa in Chimanimani.
Thirty-five more houses are at various stages of construction and will be completed soon.
Initially, the Government had envisaged completion of the first 55 houses by end of last year, but late delivery of materials from suppliers delayed the process.
Cyclone Idai hit eastern Zimbabwe in March 2019, with Chimanimani and Chipinge being the worst affected.
The cyclone left a trail of destruction, with houses, clinics, schools and roads swept away.
Hundreds of people also lost their lives.
Chimanimani District Development Coordinator, Mr Joseph Manyurapasi, told The Manica Post early this week that the rest of the beneficiaries were likely to be allocated residential stands.
“We were given the March 15 deadline by the Local Government and Public Works Minister, July Moyo, when he recently toured the project and we are excited to announce that we are on course to achieving that.
“Compilation of the list of beneficiaries for the houses is currently underway and should be ready by March 15. Drawing up the list is a continuous process given that some people who had gone away are now coming back to benefit from the scheme.
“Administratively, everything is in place,’ said Mr Manyurapasi.
“We will also ensure that people will get the stands in instances where the houses have not yet been completed or constructed. Some people have been promised houses by various implementing partners and they want to move to their stands.
“In the first batch we have 20 houses at roofing stage, while 35 of the houses in the second batch are at various stages of completion.
“We are confident that we will be ready for allocation by March 15,” said Mr Manyurapasi.
In line with the “Building Back Better” policy adopted by Government in its disaster recovery efforts after the March 2019 Tropical Cyclone Idai, four-roomed houses are being built.
A total of 500 houses are expected to be constructed at West End Farm.
The usually tranquil environs of West End Farm are now a hive of activity as construction workers are on the ground doing the construction work.
The Government has been constructing houses for Cyclone Idai victims after private partners that had pledged to assist failed to live up to their word.
