By Violet Gonda

6 July 2005

The Mayor of Mutare Misheck Kagurabadza has said the UN envoy was disturbed by the scenes that have greeted her. Government officials had tried to cover up the appalling conditions that people are living under at a holding camp at Sports Oval in Mutare. But when the envoy, Anna Tibaijuka arrived Friday night there were only two tents available while scores of people were sleeping in the cold. The envoy was told that the rest of the tents had been pulled down.

Victims at the holding camp at the Sports Oval were allowed to give their testimonies to the mission. The envoy showed concern after she was told that the victims were being forced to go to the rural areas even though many of them have no homes in the rural areas.

Mr Kagurabadza said that he was impressed that Tibaijuka showed concern about the humanitarian impact. He said, "She is not looking at the symptoms but the source of the problem."

Kagurabaza told us that the effects of operation murambatsvina have created unemployment and severe homelessness in Mutare. He added, "so many children are not going to school because they have been displaced".