A man searches for missing family members with his dog on March 18 2019 in Ngangu township, Chimanimani, eastern Zimbabwe, after the area was hit by cyclone Idai.
Image: Zinyange Auntony / AFP
Zimbabwe ended two days of national mourning at the weekend with little sign of a nation struck by grief after nearly 200 people died in the aftermath of cyclone Idai.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared Saturday and Sunday as days of national mourning.
National flags flown at half-mast were the only sign of respect by the state accorded to victims and survivors.
There were no state activities organised and radio and television stations appeared to continue with their normal programming. Local government minister July Moyo said individuals had to take the two days of mourning to reflect on the tragedy at family level.
“Government is not necessarily spearheading the two days of national mourning. I think the president’s intention was to have people reflecting at family level and also use the days to source aid for the survivors,” he told Times LIVE.
“The only thing that the government did is to fly our national flags at half-mast and for us to work on a Sunday in respect of both the victims and survivors. But there is no specific program conducted by government.”
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