malvernmugadzikwa
Sunday Mail Reporters
FOR decades, Muzarabani district, in Mashonaland Central province, was known as a semi-arid area plagued by floods and malaria.
Several roads in the area were barely navigable, with few bus operators plying the route. However, over the past five years, this has changed.
An Australia Stock Exchange-listed firm, Invictus, is now exploring for oil and gas in the area, and this has immensely benefited surrounding communities.
Devolution programmes being spearheaded by the Government, where communities are taking the lead in developing their areas, are also leaving a mark.
And this has been a welcome relief for people such as Mr Tedius Chiwashira — of Chibi village, in Muzarabani — who now have health services at their doorstep.
“We used to travel for about 20 kilometres to get to Muzarabani Clinic or Machaya Clinic, which were the nearest. However, when Utete Clinic was completed, health services are now just across our home,” he said.
The clinic was completed using devolution funds.
The Muzarabani Rural District Council has also commissioned road equipment that includes a backhoe loader, a tipper, dumper trailer, a tractor and new vehicles.
Mashonaland Central province has seven other districts — Bindura, Guruve, Mazowe, Mbire, Mt Darwin, Rushinga and Shamva.
There are 581 projects that have been completed by the Second Republic in the province, with 146 currently ongoing.
In Shamva, a refuse compactor that was purchased using devolution funds is servicing areas such as Chakonda, Madziwa and Shamva townships.
The council also completed construction of Mupfure Clinic.
“Before the Second Republic, this clinic had failed to take off for over 14 years. However, using devolution funds, construction was done promptly and we are all benefiting from it,” said Ms Tariro Chidanyika, a Shamva resident.
Another new health facility in the district, Matanda Clinic, was commissioned in February this year.
A motorised grader to help maintain and rehabilitate local roads has also been purchased and will be delivered from South Africa soon.
In Rushinga, life has become bearable following the construction of the Nyakusengwa Police Station in August last year using devolution funds.
“People used to go to Chitange and Rushinga, a distance of about 91 kilometres. Crime was prevalent in the area and some people chose to take the law into their own hands,” said Chief Nyakusengwa (born Wise Mabani Mutimbanyoka).
“Cases of stock theft and domestic violence have now gone down. The presence of the police has become a deterrent as people are afraid of getting arrested.”
Clinics have also been constructed in areas such as Katsito village, where a project that was initially started by the community was later completed using allocations from devolution funds.
Ward 7 councillor Mr Luckson Mutonho said: “Pregnant women would walk for up to 15 kilometres to Nhahwa Clinic. Some would give birth on the way. The community then decided to construct a clinic on their own. We started with a small structure because of shortage of cash, but using devolution funds, council turned it into a modern health centre. We are very grateful to Government because we could not have done it on our own.”
In rural communities, the distance to the nearest health centre can be a matter of life and death.
“I lost many relatives and friends, who died while giving birth. We thank the Government for funding construction of this clinic through devolution funds.
“Life has indeed become better for us,” Mrs Beula Nyandoro said.
The Government also intends to transform the province through major dams such as Semwa, Bindura, Dande and Mbada to support irrigation schemes, fisheries, water supply, hydro power generation and recreational activities.
The resuscitation of Eureka and Shamva gold mines has also been impactful.
Online Reporter