MUTARE- The planned repatriation of 157 bodies of Cyclone Idai victims who were interred in neighboring Mozambique, will bring a semblance of closure to bereaved families, a public interest organization Green Governance Trust Zimbabwe (GGZT) has said.
Cyclone Idai which struck in March 2019 affected 52 027 households with 17 608 people left homeless.
During a meeting organised by GGZT, Chimanimani residents said the repatriation exercise was a progressive step to bring closure to the sad chapter that still hounds the whole area.
The Minister of Public Works, Hon. July Moyo states that already 203 names of the 344 missing persons have been established after the community submitted information on missing persons. DNA tests will be carried out once exhumation of the bodies is complete to establish identity of the 157 bodies.
In a press statement yesterday, GGZT said while the move was welcome, there was need for timelines to ensure swift repatriation, and finalization of search efforts for over 344 persons.
“While there appears to be concrete plans to initiate repatriation and DNA identification of some victims’ remains washed away into Mozambique, government must actively fund these processes and not rely on donors.
“The Minister of Public Works, Hon. July Moyo remarks also cast major doubts on the timelines and possibility of swift repatriation, as he merely mentions that modalities by government pathologists to exhume and repatriate bodies of the 157 remain a priority,” reads part of the statement.
Green Governance called for the strengthening of disaster management considering that climate change had become a lived reality.
“Our call is for government to strengthen the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) and bolster its Disaster.
