Rungano Dzikira

Government has set up an Ad-hoc Inter-Ministerial Committee on Emergency Relief to Business and Communities affected by the 14-16 January 2019 stay away as it steps up efforts towards dialoguing and redressing atrocities of the past month, and map way forward to rebuild and maintain peace in the country.

Cabinet Ministers making up the team include Honourable Monica Mutsvangwa, Sekai Nzenza, Mangaliso Ndhlovu and Kirsty Coventry who are set to tour certain areas in Harare believed to have been ransacked by these disturbances.

“The team will start off with Machipisa Centre, Southlea Park Police, Skyline Tollgate, Kamunhu Shopping Centre in Mabvuku, among other high density suburbs which seem to have been the main target,” read a statement from the Ministry on Information, Publicity and Broadcasting.

Commenting on the tour, Tendai Kwaramba, an entrepreneur from Highfields applauded the move urging that physically witnessing the mess was the best way for Government and public to appreciate the damage caused by these hooligans.

“This is one way of ascertaining the correct damage on the ground and for Government to know where to channel resources especially to us, small businesses, as our concerns were swept under the carpet as emphasis was being placed on bigger shops which were looted, yet we were also victims.

“At the same time the media never gave our side of the story and how our lives have been put on hold, courtesy of these hooligans.”

The emergency relief taskforce will also visit other affected areas outside Harare as Government continues to show its commitment towards maintaining peace and empowering all businesses in the country.