Councils urged to develop communities

Mash West Correspondent
Rural district councils in Zimbabwe should develop communities with dilapidated infrastructure, a legislator has said. Addressing an all stakeholders engagement meeting at Ayshire Club in Raffingora last week, Zvimba North MP Cde Marian Chombo bemoaned the state of roads and houses in Zvimba district.

“Please help us (Zvimba Rural District Council),” she said. “Look at houses in Kamwaza, they are not safe for human habitation. The roads are deplorable and the council can assist by starting with the roads because the people in the communities are suffering.”

Cde Chombo said the road linking Mapinga and Mutorashanga used to be the best in Zimbabwe, but it was now the worst.

She said two major centres in Zvimba North — Mutorashanga and Raffingora — were underdeveloped.

“These centres are not developing,” said Cde Chombo. “There are not even residential stands for people including the youths in these areas.”

Cde Chombo urged mining companies, especially ZIMASCO and Pan African Gold Mine, to assist the local communities.

“They cannot just watch while their employees are suffering,” she said. “There is no mortuary at Mutorashanga and Raffingora hospitals, while the former has no ambulance.”

Zvimba RDC district nursing officer Mr Kingford Chivende said health infrastructure in Zvimba North no longer matched the growing population brought about by the land reform programme.

“All these health institutions need upgrading,” he said. “The shortage of staff has worsened the situation.”