adminProsper Ndlovu Senior Reporter
THE Zanu-PF Senatorial candidate for Tsholotsho Cde Cain Ginyilitshe Ndabazekhaya Mathema yesterday said he has already lined up plans to develop the constituency and is only waiting to be elected into office in the forthcoming elections on 31 July to roll out the projects. In an interview at his offices at the Mhlahlandlela Government Complex in Bulawayo, Cde Mathema (64) said Tsholotsho was a strategic district that could be turned into a regional economic base given the resources it has.
He said once elected he is going to roll out his development programme, which among other things would seek to harness water resources, boost irrigation and livestock production as well as establish business family units. “My desire is to see Tsholotsho developing. Of course the constituency has poor rainfall but it has got a lot of underground water which could be used in setting up vibrant irrigation projects.
“Tsholotsho is endowed with gold and diamond deposits, which should be exploited by locals, who could run the mining firms on their own and create jobs for others,” said Cde Mathema, who is also Governor for Bulawayo. “My vision is to see families setting up their own business units and being able to access loans from financial institutions to beef up their projects. The district has the capacity to run intensive crop and livestock production.”
Cde Mathema said he was confident that such projects were going to increase the economic activity in the constituency and in turn inform development in infrastructure. “We need to develop our roads, schools infrastructure and clinics. This would help in retaining professionals such as teachers and nurses,” he said.
The Zanu-PF deputy spokesperson and former Zimbabwean Ambassador to Zambia, Cde Mathema said during his time as MP for Tsholotsho between 1995 and 2000, he initiated a lot of projects on metered water in Mbamba, Dlamini and Sipepa area business centres.
Cde Mathema, who at that time was the Deputy Minister of Water Resources said he initiated the construction of dams at the confluence of Gwayi and Khami Rivers and Gwayi and Umguza rivers, building of clinics at Nshaba and Tshefunye villages.
He, however, said he was pained that the projects have remained in limbo since the takeover by MDC candidates at the turn of the millennium.
Online Reporter