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from the area who complained about lack of development.
VP Mujuru, who was accompanied by the Minister of State in the Vice President’s office Sylvester Nguni, Matabeleland North Governor Thokozile Mathuthu, Provincial Administrator Ms Latiso Dlamini and Matabeleland North Provincial Education Director, Mrs Boithatelo Mnguni toured different communities where the chiefs apprised her of the challenges they are facing.
VP Mujuru visited Sizemba area in Binga North near Siabuwa about 130km from Binga growth point where she met chiefs Sinakatenge, Sinansengwe and Simupo, headmen and villagers, before touring the Bulawayo Kraal Irrigation Scheme in Manjolo area.
On Saturday VP Mujuru visited Lubimbi area in Binga South where she also met chiefs Pashu and Kavula, who also presented their grievances to her.
Zanu-PF Politburo member Cde Samuel Mugande from Binga and Dr Nkululeko Sibanda who also comes from Binga, welcomed VP Mujuru.
In his presentation Chief Sinakatenge said Binga was lagging behind other districts in terms of development. The chief said they decided to approach VP Mujuru’s office because they had confidence that she would take action to address their problems.
“We are delighted to meet VP Mujuru here today. She has demonstrated humility, acceptance and understanding of our invite. Our place is not accessible because of a poor road network but she has come. She did not fly but chose to drive on our rugged roads to come here,” said Chief Sinakatenge.
“Binga is a very big district and many people just visit the centre and ignore remote places like ours. You are here today so that we apprise you of the challenges we have.
“Our roads are in a deplorable state and virtually impassable as you have seen. We do not have television and radio transmission. We also do not have mobile phone boosters and our people cannot communicate.
“We continue to suffer from perennial food shortages because our area is dry. We appreciate the Government’s grain loan scheme but we have problems of accessing it because of exorbitant transport costs. We also need more schools and clinics as our people travel long distances to get basic services.”
Chief Kavula concurred and urged the Government to take urgent measures to improve development in the district. He also said Government should look into the issue of chiefs’ boundaries.
The chiefs later presented documents detailing their concerns to VP Mujuru during a briefing with her after which the VP addressed hundreds of people who had come to meet her at Sizemba Primary School and Lubimbi High School.
In her address VP Mujuru expressed concern over the plight of the Binga community and pledged that swift measures would be taken to address the district’s lack of development.
“Two weeks ago chiefs from this place visited my office in the company of Cde Mugande and Dr Sibanda. I have heard your concerns and I am working with relevant ministries to address your concerns.
“I am aware of the bad state of your roads and that many of them have not been rehabilitated for many years. As Government we expect all areas to have a good road network,” said VP Mujuru.
“I have noted the challenges you have in accessing food from Binga centre. You share the border with Mashonaland West and Binga centre is too far. We will direct the Grain Marketing Board to bring grain to your wards so that all people have food. This is not a false promise. I will come back here to see if these things have been done.
“The chiefs spoke about lack of health service centres and that people here are not well attended to because health workers cannot speak the Tonga language. We have engaged the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare to ensure that in the coming nursing intakes at least 15 students come from Binga.”
VP Mujuru urged Binga parents to encourage their children to go to school and donated 30 000 exercise books to about 150 schools in the district. She pledged to donate more books especially those written in Tonga language.
She said Government was working on empowering previously disadvantaged communities through the indigenisation programme.
VP Mujuru said Government would jealously protect minority groups from exploitation adding that locals should benefit from fishing, timber logging and the tourism sector.
She advised people from Binga to be prepared for the constitutional referendum and said Zanu-PF would ensure that the views they raised during the outreach programme were protected.
Vice President Mujuru urged the community to register as voters ahead of the general elections scheduled for next year and said her office would engage the Registrar General’s Office so that it can visit remote areas and issue registration documents.
Speaking at the same occasion Governor Mathuthu applauded VP Mujuru for sacrificing her time to visit remote parts of her province and commended Government for coming up with developmental programmes and policies that seek to uplift the livelihoods of ordinary people.
Cde Mugande said VP Mujuru was a leader who believed in action and her visit had brought hope to Binga people.
“I and Dr Sibanda escorted the chiefs to her office and she appreciated our problems. She pledged to come here and here she is today.
“She drove on our bad roads and experienced the situation. This demonstrates her passion for helping communities. In fact women are more sensitive than men,” said Cde Mugande.
Online Reporter