Tshinga launches election campaign

Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Reporter
THE Makokoba Re-development Project, which will see over 17 000 people benefiting from increased housing space is now at an advanced stage.

Launching his campaign in Makokoba in Bulawayo yesterday, the Zanu-PF candidate for Makokoba Constituency Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube said there was a need to demolish most of the houses in one of the country’s oldest suburbs to get rid of the colonial legacy that was bent on dehumanising Africans through the provision of unfit accommodation.

“I can confirm that most homes here will be demolished to pave way for proper superstructures in the form of modern flats.

The designs are already there with the Bulawayo City Council, which is seized with finding a suitable investor to commence the work.

“We surely cannot have people living under such squalid and inhuman conditions whereby an entire family is accommodated in a two-roomed house as this promotes the colonial legacy which our people endured at the hands of our former oppressors,” said Rtd Col Dube.

He said due to the overcrowding the suburb was now exposed to a number of respiratory and contagious diseases with levels of prostitution and crime also high. The population of Makokoba is estimated at between 2 000 to 2 500 people. Out of 4 802 households in the suburb, 500 are under the shared accommodation scheme.

Rtd Col Dube said as part of ensuring that the constituency generates income to carry out various developmental activities, he had facilitated the leasing of a local beer hall to be operated and run by the community.

“I can safely tell you that Mashumba Beer Garden now belongs to the constituency and this will open employment for a few in this constituency while also generating income to assist in a number of activities such as bereavements and some developmental projects,” he said.

Rtd Col Dube recounted the number of charity work and developmental projects that he has carried out over the years such as sourcing of textbooks for schools, facilitating the employment of qualified youths in various Government departments, sponsoring of various sporting apparatus, offering free medical services for all as well as catering for the welfare of the elderly in communities.

@DNsingo