adminCHIEF Shana of Jambezi in Hwange has started implementing Government’s economic blueprint, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim Asset) after summoning all local leadership in his area to deliberate on developmental needs.
In a meeting on Friday at his residence, Chief Shana called for the re-establishment of Isiphala Senkosi, saying after the good rains received this year, communities should have food security by stocking grain and move away from the culture of food handouts.
Zim Asset, stemming from Zanu-PF’s manifesto, is anchored on developing strategic clusters, among them food security and nutrition.
Chief Shana’s developmental meeting was attended by councillors from all wards in his area which covers Jambezi, Matetsi, Sidinda, Chikandababi and other areas. Police and representatives from Government departments in the area came up with four key areas to be attended to as a matter of urgency; establishment of community granaries, arresting of school drop-out rate and early child marriages which are rampant in the area and taking care of the elderly.
Chief Shana said although his area had the best soils in the district, hunger was prevalent because the area falls in region five and crops were usually destroyed by wild animals, hence the need for Isiphala SeNkosi.
“We have rampant cases of school drop-outs and early child marriages and these can be addressed if we control the issue of food security.
Each homestead should contribute one bucket of grain to the village head. The grain will be kept at the headmen’s place who will choose a committee to oversee safe upkeep. A portion of this will also be sent to the chief and headmen will choose an overseer so that we can as well take care of those who come directly to the chief,” suggested Chief Shana.
The mobilisation is to start immediately as the meeting unanimously agreed that village heads start mobilising their subjects.
However, it emerged poverty and some cultural practices were causative agents for early child marriages and school drop-outs.
Some parents accused law enforcement agents of fuelling delinquency in children allegedly through fighting ‘child abuse’ while police said parents lacked knowledge and understanding of the concept and needed to be educated.
This came after a representative from local schools said most drop-outs were girls who would have fallen pregnant and parents would block school authorities from taking measures, saying they wanted their girl child to be married.
The school representatives said they had dealt with a number of such cases and it was difficult to address them at school level because of involvement of parents.
On the issue of neglect of the elderly in communities, Chief Shana said he had noted with concern that some families were neglecting their elderly parents with some being taken to old people’s homes which he said was un-African.
It was agreed that village heads compile a register of all elderly people, orphans and the vulnerable in the community so that their lives could be monitored, as many were dying because of neglect and stress related conditions.
The strategies, it was agreed, would help eradicate poverty and hunger and relieve the government of the burden of providing food and other basics to communities.
Online Reporter