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Nkayi District is divided into two constituencies, Nkayi North and South. Areas in Nkayi North constituency include Sikobokobo, Makwatheni, Sivalo and Gwelutshena. Villagers in the constituency have often raised concern about the road network in the area, exemplified by the Bulawayo-Nkayi Road. They said most buses abandoned the route some years ago due to its poor state. The same applies to other roads in the constituency.
But the MP for Nkayi North, Cde Sithembiso Nyoni, in conjunction with the District Development Fund (DDF), recently rehabilitated the road leading into her constituency from Nkayi Centre, which is much better than other roads leading there, despite the fact that it is a dust road.
Nkayi North, located in the drought prone Matabeleland North Province, is facing a serious water shortage. A villager who identified herself as Mrs Dube (36) said she travels over five kilometres to fetch water.
“We have to travel over five kilometres to find water. But the problem is that the nearest water source is unclean. Some people boil the water first so that it is safe for drinking but we do not boil it because we are now used to it although we know that it can cause diseases like typhoid and diarrhoea.
“We hope that our MP will do all it takes to drill some boreholes so that they can reduce our suffering as there was not enough rain in our area,” she said.
Women usually fetch water. They fetch it in buckets, which they carry on their heads. However, some men in Nkayi North also do some of the chores that are usually associated with women.
Mr Wilton Ncube (50), who stays in Sikobokobo village under Chief Sikobokobo, said women were not the only ones who carry buckets on their heads as most men in the area had resorted to this activity because they did not own scotch carts or wheelbarrows.
“Akusamangalisi lapha koSikobokobo ukuthi amadoda abonakale ethwele amanzi ekhanda. (It is not amazing in our area to see men carrying buckets full of water on their heads).
“The situation in this area is pathetic because when it comes to water, it is each man for himself as most people with scotch carts do not help others but when it comes to food we are one,” he said.
Some communities in Nkayi North are facing difficulties in securing food. Many of them survive on one meal a day. Food insecurity in the area remains a problem because most families fail to obtain food aid from the Government.
Mr Frank Sibanda (56), expressed concern over the way the Government delivers food aid to the community.
“The Government tries to bring food to our community but this is not enough because they usually bring 10 bags for the whole area under Chief Sikobokobo, with only one family benefiting from this area which means the rest of the village goes to eat there,” said Mr Sibanda.
On a positive note, Nkayi North constituency has established a youth development project that teaches carpentry, building and some engineering.
This has made many youths refrain from indulging in illegal activities as they now can have a profession to think of.
Gogo MaMoyo (70), said Cde Nyoni had been doing well since she was elected into office.
“UMP uyasinceda kakhulu ngeke sithi akulalutho alwenzayo ngoba siyabe siqamba amanga. Khathesi uwakhe indawo yokufundisa abantwana imisebenzi yezandla. (The MP is helping this community. We cannot say there is nothing she has done because we would be lying. She has built a centre so that the youth can learn different skills).
“She has also helped us as old people by giving us blankets since winter is just around the corner. This has helped us because we can now be warm at night,” she said.
Nkayi North has some infrastructure, like schools and clinics. In some parts of the constituency, children no longer have to walk long distances to reach the nearest school.
Mr Melusi Gama (36) said:
“We acknowledge the development of the schools in this area but the development should not only end there because a lot of pressure has been put on parents to buy school furniture and books for their children to use.
“Parents are under pressure because most of them have no means of earning an income as they live in rural areas. Some are poor and they do not have any animals to sell so that their children can go to school.
“At the (Sikobokobo) clinic we now receive free medication. We do not pay a single cent. This has helped our community as most people could not afford treatment,” he said.
Cde Nyoni, who is also Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development, said she had her constituents at heart.
“My main focus is developing that area because most people neglect it. Before I became their MP, there was no road network in that area as most buses never went there but today the roads have been graded and more buses are flocking to the area.
She said education was a basic human right and everyone had the right to receive it, which is why she invested a lot in building schools in her constituency.
“Education is a right and so far I have built six secondary schools since 2010, which has seen more children going back to school. We start by providing the necessary structures such as building schools then we can talk of furniture because one cannot buy furniture without a house. Water is a problem in most areas in Matabeleland. To curb the water problems in the area, I have arranged with DDF and other parties to help drill boreholes in the area,” she said.
Cde Nyoni said the Nkayi North community should learn to share the little available food because the Government does not focus on that area alone but other drought-prone areas as well.
Online Reporter