Cash-strapped Zimbabwe government raises just $14.5m of $100m needed in flood aid

Zimbabwe has so far raised $14.5m (£11.92m, €16.6m) of the $100m needed to help those caught in deadly floods and to repair extensive infrastructure damage, including to roads, bridges, schools and clinics.

Torrential rains causing floods in Zimbabwe have killed 246 people and about 2,000 people have been left homeless since December, according to the government and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Earlier this month, President Robert Mugabe declared the floods to be a national disaster, and his cash-strapped government appealed to international donors for $100m. The authorities said the national road agency would contribute 50% towards the bill, and the rest would be borrowed from local banks.

According to OCHA, the Special Cabinet Committee managed to raise $14.5m.

Gripped by drought and possibly on the verge of total economic collapse, the nation is still struggling to get payment support from foreign lenders, and civil servant salaries, traditional annual bonuses and government pensions are often paid late.

"Assessments are ongoing as humanitarian partners consider redirecting the current drought response as well as mobilising additional resources," the UN agency said in a statement published on 9 March.

"Multi-sectoral response planning is to commence on 8 March based on available data. Rains are expected to continue until April," it added.

Those in opposition have criticised Mugabe for his absence as much of the country was left reeling from the deadly floods.

The head of state spent less than two days on home soil: he flew back from Singapore, where he had gone for a "scheduled medical review", on Sunday (5 March) morning before flying off to Ghana to attend the country's 60th independence celebrations.

Commenting on Mugabe's return to Zimbabwe on 8 March, prominent journalist and commentator Brezhnev Malaba tweeted: "He's back on home soil. But how many hours before he flies off again? Just one load of Jet A1 can build new homes for flood-hit villagers."

Much of the heavy rains received over the past month can be attributed to a tropical cyclone dubbed Dineo, which crossed southern and western Zimbabwe as a powerful storm system in mid-February.

Around 900 people have also been displaced to a camp in Tsholostho in Matabeleland North, in Western Zimbabwe.