The government has directed that the issues of housing and sanitation be considered for declaration as a state of emergency.

Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare informed the National Assembly that legal advice was sought from the Attorney General and advised that the Disaster Risk Management Act of 2012 should be invoked to declare housing and sanitation emergencies.

"A few weeks ago, the first meeting was convened, chaired by the secretary to the cabinet on those specific topical issues. In the consultation with various EDs of OMAS, it was felt that on the sanitation aspect, the resources currently available will be sufficient to address it."

He, however, stated housing and sanitation remain closely linked, as progress in one cannot be achieved without addressing the other.

"And therefore, the national disaster risk management committee is seized with this matter and will then be coming back to appraise the cabinet, not the cabinet or parliament. Of course, cabinet, then parliament. So this is what we wanted to inform the August House in terms of the work that is currently underway and specific to those areas of the pillars that I have mentioned."