Mbare flood victims demand $100k from HCC

By Helen Kadirire

Victims of floods in Mbare have filed a $100 000 law suit against Harare City Council (HCC) for damages.

The residents, who reside along Mbirimi, Chinamhora, Dumbutshena and Mwamuka streets, had their homes flooded twice after heavy rains hit the area.

In their lawsuit filed by their legal counsel Allen Moyo on May 10, the 43 residents seek compensation for loss of property valued at $57 556,70 and loss of sleep and alternative accommodation valued at $43 000.

The lawsuit comes months after the residents had pleaded with council to compensate them but to no avail.

HCC is accused of negligently allowing the continued construction of Gulf Sunshine Bazaar along Simon Mazorodze which the residents argued caused the flooding.

“The defendant through its spokesperson also admitted that there was negligence on their part as engineers did not do a proper job and were now trying to do corrective engineering to avoid further floods.

“The plaintiffs thus, contend that the defendant was negligent as said by its chief engineer Jonathan Mutimkulu that the defendant did not inspect clogged pipes caused by construction of the complex and had they noted the fault in time, they would have fixed it before any damage to property had been done.

“As a result of defendant’s negligence in properly assessing the construction of the said Sunshine Bazaar mall, the plaintiffs suffered loss and defendant has the obligation to compensate for the loss suffered by the plaintiffs,” read their suit.

Among some of the items that the residents want to be compensated are clothes, foodstuffs and furniture.

After the second floods, the complex contractors El Nour United Builders Group managing director Ali Ezzeddine said work was already underway to fix the drainage.

Ezzeddine said engineers were contracted to see what could be the best plausible solution so that both the residents and complex would benefit. Daily News