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Lungile Tshuma and Temba Dube Chronicle Reporters
BULAWAYO Progressive Residents Association (Bupra) has launched a “meet the candidate series” and at one of the meetings yesterday, the Minister of Water Resources Management and Development, Dr Samuel Sipepa Nkomo was grilled over his alleged failure to deliver in his constituency.
The series of meetings are for aspiring parliamentarians and councillors to debate and answer questions from the electorate.
Dr Sipepa Nkomo was grilled by residents in his former Lobengula constituency with the audience demanding answers on how he used the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Residents took Dr Sipepa Nkomo to task, accusing him of being a poor leader as he failed to resuscitate a clinic and a bus terminus in Ward 14, despite being given $50 000 under the CDF.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti allocated US$8 million for the CDF in the 2010 budget and each constituency received US$50 000.
“It is very disappointing and annoying to find out that out of all the wards in the constituency, Ward 14 does not have a clinic. What worries me most is that you are again asking for our vote,” fumed a resident.
“In addition to that, we are supposed to have a terminus, what is only needed is money to spruce it up, so that it can be useful to the residents. We thought that through the use of CDF, we were going to have a clinic and a terminus. Since you failed to do that, now we need to know how you used the CDF.”
In his response, Dr Sipepa Nkomo promised to solve the problems after elections as he claimed that MDC-T would win and form the next government.
Said Dr Nkomo: “I understand your concerns but when these funds were allocated, I called you and we agreed that we would channel funds towards the improvement of the education sector in this constituency. What happens is that the clinic and the terminus are the responsibility of the city council.
“Due to shortage of funds, the council had to close this clinic so that they can concentrate on the Pelandaba Clinic. We hope the new Government that is coming in after these elections will take your concerns into consideration.”
Some of the candidates who were present at the meeting were Mr Nhlanhla Dube who is also the MDC spokesperson, Mr Witness Jiyane from AKE and Mr Albert Mathe of Zapu.
Other issues discussed by candidates were devolution of power, creating employment and reviving youth clubs.
On devolution of power, all the candidates said it was going to bring meaningful development to the constituency and the region at large.
At another meeting at Mabutweni Hall, Pelanda-Mpopoma residents also fired questions at aspiring National Assembly candidates.
A resident asked Zanu-PF candidate Cde Joseph Tshuma what he would do, that his party failed to do in 33 years, if voted into power.
“The party has not failed in anything. The truth is that we have found out that the reconciliatory stance that we took with our former colonial masters has been mistaken for weakness. They have reneged on an agreement to transfer economic power to Zimbabweans. What we got at independence was negotiated political power without the means to finance development,” said Cde Tshuma.
He said Zanu-PF has embarked on the indigenisation programme in earnest, after realising that Western powers were negotiating in bad faith and did not have any intention of handing over “real power” to native Zimbabweans.
“If you elect me, I will continue with the empowerment programmes started by the party. Soon we shall be seeing the fruits of the indeginisation programme as Zimbabweans will finally benefit from the country’s resources,” said Cde Tshuma.
Outgoing legislator for the constituency Mr Samuel Sandla Khumalo, who has deserted MDC-T to contest as an independent was asked to account for CDF money.
“I used the money in accordance with what we agreed with residents. If you retain me in Parliament, I will have a chance to finish some programmes that I started as a member of the labour and social welfare committee,” said Mr Khumalo, who was continuously booed and heckled by some MDC-T youths.
Online Reporter