Tsvangirai slams govt for neglecting Murambatsvina victims

By Lance Guma
12 November 2007

MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai rounded off a visit to Hatcliffe Extension on Monday by criticising government for neglecting the plight of victims of its controversial Operation Murambatsvina. The opposition leader was on a tour of the area, which is home to hundreds of people who were displaced when their homes were razed to the ground. Most have been living in plastic shacks for over two years despite government pledges to build decent housing under Operation Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle.

Residents told Tsvangirai they had been promised housing, clean water, schools and proper health care, but two years have gone by with nothing delivered. The few houses being built are still incomplete and will not cater for the hundreds who were displaced. Several residents and their children have been exposed to disease and malnutrition. Shallow, open wells and toilets have seen diseases like diarrhoea thrive and this has not been helped by over-crowded conditions.

An MDC statement said, ‘The President took his time to move from shack to shack where he heard heartrending stories of how people are struggling to feed their families.’ Tsvangirai told residents and journalists during the tour that democracy, ‘starts with a decent roof over one's head,’ and that government in a new Zimbabwe should never be allowed to lie to its people. He said the MDC would prioritise critical issues like housing, food, jobs, education and health care.

Tsvangirai criticised the government for playing politics with peoples lives, saying two years after Operation Murambatsvina, they had failed to deliver on promises to give the affected people decent shelter. The United Nations estimates that 700 000 people were made homeless during the so-called ‘clean up’ and thousands more lost their livelihoods when their vending stalls were destroyed. In an interview with Newsreel party spokesman Nelson Chamisa said the tour would not end as a mere ‘tourist visit’ but that the party will look into the plight of residents and take up the issue with relevant authorities.

Meanwhile a National Council meeting of the MDC Youth Assembly on Saturday delivered its objections to the controversial ouster of women’s assembly chairperson Lucia Matibenga. Tsvangirai was asked to address the meeting and explain his position on the matter, but sources say the meeting got heated as the youths vowed not to recognise Theresa Makone the new chairperson.