THE International Coalition Against Coronavirus for Africa Development (ICAC-AD) has petitioned President Emmerson Mnangagwa over mass demolition of homes in Harare which have left families vulnerable.
The petition came after at least 200 houses were demolished in the city’s Budiriro suburb, leaving families stranded without food and shelter.
The government and the city council promised to provide temporary shelter to affected residents, who include women and children, elderly and the sick, but as of Sunday, no such relief had been provided.
In his petition, South Africa ICAC-AD Third President Chandangwinyira Chose cited Mnangagwa, his deputies Constantino Chiwenga who is also Minister of Health, and Kembo Mohadi.
He also cited local government minister July Moyo, Mayor of Harare Jacob Mafume, the town management department heads and the land barons as respondents.
“We, as the ICAC-AD are concerned over the demolition of houses in parts of Harare, done at the wrong time, putting people’s lives at risk of contracting coronavirus. This happens at the onset of a rainy season and there is no shelter planned for the affected,” Chose said.
“Government has not considered the need to investigate or inform the suffering people now without shelter at all. Our request is for you to consider the Human Rights of the little children and their mothers now exposed to the pandemic, for which you have even banned the elections.”
Chose added, “We are not supporting any illegal structures but demanding the rights of the people of Zimbabwe to be respected by the authorities…Your Excellency, please stop these demolitions as a Father of the nation.
“ICAC-AD is appealing to all international organizations to give shelter to the suffering victims in the affected areas.”
He asked the President to investigate the land barons and save the lives of the suffering people.
ICAC has membership across Southern, Western and Central Africa and is lobbying for all African countries to develop home grown remedy to Covid-19 to avoid instances where people lose their lives due to foreign vaccines testing.
-New Zimbabwe