Gibson Mhaka
AS the country braces for the 2024/2025 rainy season, the Government has developed a comprehensive Multi-Hazard Contingency Plan to mitigate the risks associated with tropical cyclones, floods, landslides, heatwaves, and other natural disasters.
In his post-Cabinet media briefing on Tuesday Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said the Government is taking proactive measures to safeguard lives and property, particularly in vulnerable communities.
Minister Muswere said Cabinet received the report on the Multi Hazard Contingency Plan for the 2024/2025 rainfall season, which was presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Professor Amon Murwira as the Acting Chairman for the Cabinet Committee on Environment, Disaster Prevention and Management.
“Cabinet advises that the Multi-Hazard Contingency Plan has been developed to prepare and adequately respond to a multiplicity of hazards that include tropical cyclones, riverine flooding, flash floods, landslides, heat waves, severe thunderstorms, hailstorms, fires, and human and animal epidemics, water borne diseases, crop pests, strong winds, mid-season dry spells, mine accidents as well as road traffic accidents.
“It targets any disaster that evolves beyond the copying capacity of local communities as well as transboundary diseases,” said Dr Muswere.
He advised the nation that riverine flooding may be prevalent in most flood-prone areas during the January, February, and March 2025 period due to anticipated high rainfall.
Minister Muswere said Cabinet also received an update on the progress made on the banning of alluvial mining and the rehabilitation of degraded rivers throughout the country, which was presented by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Jongwe Masuka.
“Following the directive by Cabinet on 20 August 2024, to ban riverbed mining, an Inter-Ministerial Committee, under the chairmanship of the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development was set up to spearhead the enforcement of the afore-stated directive and to carry out a survey on the status of the river ecosystems and recommend more deterrent penalties for breach of the law.
“Accordingly, on 29th November 2024, Statutory Instrument 188 of 2024: Environmental Management (Control of Alluvial Mining) (Amendment) Regulations, 2024 (No.3) was gazetted. The ban on alluvial mining has been implemented and enforced throughout the country,” said Dr Muswere.
He said the Statutory Instrument introduced stiffer penalties for offenders and allows for the seizure of minerals, machinery, equipment, and vehicles.
“To date, a total of 344 arrests have been made across the country,” said Minister Muswere.
