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Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
GOVERNMENT has released $1,5 million to assist doctors and staffers whose property was destroyed by fire at Kwekwe General Hospital last Monday.

About 14 families, among them doctors, a physiotherapist, nurses and an administrator lost property worth thousands of dollars after a fire destroyed staff quarters at the hospital.

During his visit to the institution to assess the extent of the damage on Sunday, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo announced that the Government had released the funds to the district Civil Protection Unit (CPU) for disbursement.

“I have already liaised with the Ministry of Finance and they told me they have already released the funds to the district CPU. The fund is for immediate relief to enable the affected families to be able to buy clothing and other immediate requirements as most of them lost almost everything to the fire,” said Minister Moyo who also chairs the national Civil Protection Unit committee.

“This fund is only for immediate relief so that the staffers can be able to buy clothing and food items and some immediate property they might require. More funding will be availed once we receive the bill of quantities from the department of public works,” he said.

While he hailed the Kwekwe community for coming to the aid of the affected families, Minister Moyo, however, expressed concern over the slow pace of the department of public works in establishing the cause of the fire and efforts to refurbish or rebuild another structure.

“The pace at which you are moving is worrying. This is an emergency and we need to act accordingly. I want work done as soon as possible so that we can replace the building. We need to apply the build-back-better concept where we replace the affected building with a better one,” he said.

Minister Moyo said co-ordinated effort was needed so that the building is reconstructed in time.

“Through the CPU, the department of works should work together with other departments like the ZRP, ZNA, ZESA, ZPCS and Kwekwe Polytechnic College so that the upcoming technicians can learn hands-on. So, I implore you to work together to the effect that we replace the building in the shortest period possible,” said Minister Moyo.

Minister Moyo also demanded answers from Kwekwe City Council amid allegations that the local authority’s fire tender came in last after Zimasco and Gweru fire tenders.

“I want a detailed report as to what happened when the fire tender attended the scene last,” he told Kwekwe acting town clerk, Dr Lucia Mnkandla.

Provincial Public Works director, Mr Abishoni Paradza said the cause of the fire, though strongly suspected to be caused by an electrical fault, was yet to be established.

“Our teams led by the Kwekwe City fire department and Zesa are still on the ground still trying to establish the cause of the fire. Once we are done, we are then able to prepare the report and come up with a bill of quantities,” he said.

“The roof is beyond repair and the ceiling keeps falling in. The building is also characterised by cracks which are widening by the day and we are likely to destroy the whole structure and build a new one.”

District CPU chairperson, who is also Kwekwe District Development Co-ordinator, said companies were also willing to assist the families.

“We still have companies who are coming in with pledges. Already some have already donated what they can including the business community and we are really grateful for that,” he said.

Minister Moyo was accompanied by State Security Minister Owen Ncube.