An Investigation into Organisation Capacity for National Disaster Management in Zimbabwe: The Case of the Department of Civil Protection

Abstract

Across the globe, disasters – both natural and man-made – have threatened humanity. These disasters had grave and devastating impact on human life, infrastructure, and the environment as evidenced by the February 2000 Cyclone Eline and March 2019 Cyclone Idai. This research sought to investigate the Department of Civil Protection`s (DCP) capacity in national disaster management. The research examines how the DCP handled cyclones from 2000-2019 in Chimanimani District. Organisational capacity was assessed on the basis of its core principles which are: leadership, management and operations, community engagement, service and evaluation. The study discovered that inadequate financial and human resources, poor emergency response systems, weak learning and lessons drawing, reactive disaster management, weak pre-disaster management community engagement, poor reconstruction and failure to harmonise military and DCP operational structures are factors undermining DCP`s capacity for national disaster management. The research recommends that government should avail adequate resources, DCP should be proactive in disaster management, should openly contract-out reconstruction works, and collaborate with universities to strengthen organisational learning capacity, align military and DCP operational structures and processes and let Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) distribute food and other humanitarian aid.

Policy Communities and Natural Disasters: Cyclone Eline and Idai in Zimbabwe

“…According to UNICEF Zimbabwe Report: 7 [9] "as of 14 April, 334 people had been reported dead and over 257 people were reported missing due to the cyclone", more than 270,000 people were affected, including 129,600 children. In this regard, the study noted that the statistics of Cyclone Eline in terms of fatality rate is less with 198 deaths, the people affected are less with 20 000 and reconstruction cost is less with over US$ 500 million [4]. To this end, the study acknowledges the destructive capacity of Cyclones and explores how Cyclones are dealt with in Zimbabwe under the prism of the concept of policy community to dissect how policy stakeholders, those who are affected and want to affect the policy problem respond to cyclones.…”

“…Thus, in Zimbabwe they pose a momentous danger to prospects for achieving vision 2030 (establishing an upper middle-class economy). This is because global annual economic impact allied with disasters were estimated at around US$ 75.5 billion in the 1960s, US$ 138.4 billion in the 1970s, US$ 213.9 billion in the 1980s, US$ 659.9 billion in the 1990s, US$ 374 billion in 2011, US$ 117 billion in 2016 and US$ 75 billion in 2020 [4].…”

“…The Cyclone Eline floods of February 2000 left approximately over 250, 000 people affected, 90 people dead and the destruction of about US$ 7.5 million worth of goods [3]. Mutizwa [4] reports 136 deaths not 90 deaths, 538 schools, 54 clinics, 59 184 houses as well as huts were destroyed. Approximately 230 dams burst and 20 000 herd of livestock went missing.…”

Sistem Cerdas Pendiagnosis Kecanduan Internet Yang Menggunakan Sistem Pakar Runut Mundur

“…Penggunaan jaringan internet menjadi semakin penting ketika COVID19 melanda seluruh dunia. Jaringan internet digunakan dalam bidang pendidikan [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] 27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32], kesehatan [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41], ekonomi dan pemasaran [42] [43] [44] [45] [46] [47] [48] [49], bahkan dalam kemudahan urusan bidang hukum [50] [51] [52] [53] [54] [55] [56] [57] [58].…”

Climate Change and Human Security in Zimbabwe

“…The world has witnessed a rise in sea levels with the arctic glaciers melting, coral reefs dying, oceans acidifying, and forests burning hence loss of biodiversity [5]. The world has increasingly witnessed heatwaves, droughts, typhoons, and cyclones and hurricanes causing mass destruction worldwide [6]. Madagascar has witnessed its worst drought in 40 years and Europe is experiencing extreme temperatures in 500 years.…”