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Herald Reporter
About 2 000 people in Harare’s Kuwadzana constituency have received maize meal under a charitable initiative by legislator Cde Betty Nhambu Kaseke.
Vulnerable groups such as orphans, old people and churches have benefited since the beginning of September.
Cde Kaseke, who handed over a consignment to church organisations at the AFM Church in Kuwadzana 5 at the weekend, says she is doing this both as a legislator and under the aegis of the Betty Kaseke Foundation which she will soon launch.
“We have chosen to give mealie meal because we are aware of the hunger that is within households as this is a drought year,” she explained.
“We have so far distributed 10 000kg of mealie-meal and plan to reach 20 tonnes.
“This is just a starting point because we want to address the issue of hunger first, but soon we will be donating items such as clothes that we are in the process of sourcing,” she said.
Cde Kaseke said her fledgling philanthropic work, supported by her husband Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive Mr Karikoga Kaseke, Chief Musarurwa and other well-wishers, dovetailed with her legislative role.
She said she would continue focusing on development and denounced the opposition for its distractions through demonstrations.
“While some people are busy demonstrating we as a party are focusing on development. As we speak here in Kuwadzana we already have drilled 15 boreholes to alleviate water shortages and we have been rehabilitating roads and we are doing this while making sure people get food.
“We are going to approach the Government through the Ministry of (Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare) so that our people are not left out in the national food relief programme currently underway,” she said.
Next weekend, the legislator will donate in Tynwald South, Kuwadzana Extension and Kuwadzana 6 to round off her constituency before embarking on a second round which she targets to be through by Christmas.
Chief Musarurwa said Cde Kaseke’s initiative was timely.
“This is a good programme that has come at an opportune time as people are looking for food,” he said.
“This is not because Government has failed, but the programme is complementing efforts by Government and this is what Members of Parliament should do.
“This initiative is good because you can’t start building a bridge when people are starving, but then already Cde Kaseke has done a lot in terms of development especially through the drilling of boreholes and provision of water,” said Chief Musarurwa.
Online Reporter