Murambatsvina victims living as destitutes on riverbank near Glen Norah

By Tichaona Sibanda
08 February 2006

About 150 people displaced by Operation Murambatsvina are living as destititutes along the Mukuvisi river in Glen Norah C where they drink contaminated water and use the bush as a toilet.

Combined Harare Residents Association information officer Precious Shumba said the victims have built shacks using plastic and broken pieces of furniture which they use as their houses.

‘This lifestyle goes unabated yet the government has told the whole world that Operation Murambatsvina victims have been assisted with shelter and food,’ said Shumba.

Shumba also cited cases where the victims sleep together, irrespective of gender. Children sleep together with their parents on the open ground covered with either cardboard boxes or plastic.

‘I was in the area recently and was able to experience first-hand their lifestyle, fraught with misery. These people have lost hope and pray that the government allocates them land to build their houses,’ he said.

There have been outbreaks of cholera in the area and at least 50 people were affected by the waterborne disease in the last five months. The situation remains desperate and the victims need food, blankets and clean water as a matter of urgency.

The people in Glen Norah are part of the 700 000 who lost their livelihoods through ill conceived clean up operation, as reported by the UN special envoy Anna Tibaijuka in her final report. That report was rejected by the Mugabe regime as exaggerated and lacking truth.

However Shumba said, ‘If there is anyone telling lies about murambatsvina and its victims it is the government, and not anyone else,’ .