PRESIDENT Jakaya Kikwete has reassured
victims of floods in Kahama District, Shinyanga Region that no one will
go without food following the disaster and the government is dedicated
to send ample relief supplies to the sufferers.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam on Friday in a
brief interview during the launch of Azam Tv, Mr Kikwete said that the
government was shocked by news of the floods that has thus far claimed
over 40 lives.
“It is true we wish for rain but not
that much rain to the extent that it causes serious damage and leads to
the loss of many lives,” he said.
He said that the Prime Minister, Mr
Mizengo Pinda, has already gone to console the victims and the
government is continuing with efforts to assist them with food supply
and other necessities.
He said that the government is also
looking into ways to assist the victims reconstruct their houses, while
at the moment it is providing temporary shelters for them. “This is a
disaster, it just happens you do not plan for it.
This is not the first it is happening in
the world and neither is it the first time it is happening in the
country,” he said. On another note, Mr Kikwete also commented on the
death of maverick Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) legislator for Mbinga West,
Mr John Komba, who passed away last Saturday.
He said that Mr Komba had not been ill
for a long time, thus his death came as a shock because the day he
passed on he had contacted CCM Secretary General, Mr Abdulrahman Kinana,
on issues pertaining to payment for his performing group to prepare for
the forthcoming general elections campaigns.
On the Kahama flood victims, the
government has started distributing humanitarian aid including food,
clothing and domestic utensils to the sufferers.
More than 40 people died on the spot and
82 others were severely injured when a heavy downpour accompanied by
strong winds pounded three villages in Kahama District for about three
hours on Tuesday night, damaging houses, farms and livestock.
Shinyanga Regional Commissioner (RC)
Ally Rufunga confirmed the incident, saying that about 3,500 individuals
from 500 households were left homeless, as their houses were virtually
swept away by the floods.
The RC said the rains started at around
10:00 pm and continued in various parts of the region, but caused
massive damages in the three villages of Kahama District whose residents
were located in unsafe habitat and some in valleys.
They, hence, easily succumbed to death
as a result of the calamity. He mentioned the affected villages and
number of households as Mwakata (350), Nhumbi (100) and Magung’hwa (50).
