Abstract
On 14March2019,Zimbabwewashitby CycloneIdai,leavingimmeasurabledestructionof unprecedentedmagnitudeinitswake.InChimanimani District,manyliveswerelost,manypeoplewerereported missing, andothersweredisplaced.Thequestionthat immediatelycomestomindis:Wasthecountrypreparedto manage theCycloneIdaidisaster?Reflectingonthecom- munityexperiences,thepurposeofthisresearchwasto interrogatethestrengthofthedisasterriskreductionleg- islation andinstitutionsinZimbabweinthefaceofmete- orologicalhazards.Theresearchalsoevaluatedtheextent of theimpactCycloneIdaihadontheChimanimani communitiesandthefactorsthatincreasedthevulnera- bility tothecyclone.Amixedmethodapproachthat involved 1180participantswasused.Thestudyfoundthat disasterriskmanagementlegislationandinstitutionsin Zimbabweareweak.CycloneIdairesultedinthelossof many humanlives,lossoflivelihoods,andmassivedam- age toinfrastructure.Thecycloneexposedcapacityand policy gapsinZimbabwe’sdisasterriskmanagementsys- tem. Thestudymakesanumberofrecommendations, includingstrengtheningdisasterlegislationandpolicy,and disasterriskgovernance.Giventhecommunities’response