Hunger, Homelessness Hit Binga After Heavy Rains

By Farai Sibanda

Binga, March 14,  2014 -Heavy rains that pounced Binga district in

Matabeleland North province in the past few months first brought joy followed by misery 

as it left homes,crops and roads destroyed.

Binga, one of  the country’s poorest districts has been facing serious hunger

every year due to poor rains with villagers surviving from

food hand-outs distributed by non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

There were celebrations among Binga villagers this year when the

skies opened up and the district started receiving rains.

But the celebrations were short-lived as the rains became ceaseless and

started destroying villages and crops.

“There was jubilation in every corner of the district when it started raining.

People did not expect that these rains would worsen

the situation. As time went on the rains became too much, washing away our crops

while many homes were also destroyed. As a result, this year we are still starving, we  still need food  aid 

from government and NGOs once again,” said Laisa Mwembe of

Nkalenge area in Binga North.

Radio VOP witnessed some desperate villagers in Boniswa area

picking up small grains of maize along Siansundu-Binga town centre

road which were mistakenly dropped by trucks transporting food aid.

The heavy rains have also destroyed the district’s road network with

some areas like Tyunga located at the Binga-Gokwe border not easily

accessible and cut off from the rest of the Tonga-speaking district.

Tyunga ward councillor Super Muzingili called for an emergency

intervention from government saying the situation is worsening as

residents of his area which is also adjacent to the Zambezi River are

facing serious starvation.

“The situation here is bad since the rains have destroyed everything and

there is nothing in the fields, people are facing serious starvation. Our

situation was worsened by the fact that we live adjacent to the mighty Zambezi

River resulting in homes and crops being seriously affected. We call upon the

government to do something immediately,” said Muzingili.

Binga Rural District Council (BRDC) chairperson Munkombwe Dube admitted

that instead of bringing joy to Binga the rains brought disaster that

worsened villagers’ plight. “There is disaster in the whole district,

people have absolutely nothing to harvest from fields again this year. 

These were abnormal rains that washed away crops, homes and

roads. It is sad that people will starve again this year and part of

next year. We have since sent a call to government and NGOs to give us

a helping hand,”  Dube told Radio VOP

Tokwe-Mukosi in Masvingo,Tsholotsho in Matabeleland North and Mberengwa

in the Midlands are some parts of Zimbabwe which were hit hard by heavy rains leading

to floods that destroyed homes, crops and roads leading to hunger and homelessness.

With the current economic collapse taking its toll the government is failing to cope with with the urgent

relocation and poverty alleviation needs of the displaced communities in these districts.

of the affected people.