admin. . . projects start bearing fruit
Zvamaida Murwira in CHIMANIMANI
ZANU-PF is seeking to reassert its authority and dominance in Chimanimani West by-elections, with the revolutionary party’s candidate Cde Nokuthula Matsikenyera embarking on several developmental projects that have since started bearing fruit for the people in the area.Cde Matsikenyera has to contend with three other candidates in a by-election slated for November 26, 2016 to fill a seat left vacant by Engineer Munacho Mutezo following his expulsion from Zanu-PF for his continued association with Zimbabwe People First leader Dr Joice Mujuru.
In an interview yesterday, Cde Matsikenyera said her confidence was motivated by the several projects she has been undertaking for the community, most of which had transformed lives of thousands of people in the area.
She remained confident despite a recent electoral defeat the ruling party suffered in Norton to independent candidate Mr Temba Mliswa who beat Cde Ronald Chindedza of Zanu-PF.
Cde Matsikenyera has commissioned a quail birds rearing project, collaborated with partners to establish a honey processing factory near Chaseyama set to employ hundreds of people coupled with downstream benefits.
“As a party candidate, I am quite confident of winning the by-election. My major strength is that I am not new to the electorate since I have been working with them on several projects in recent years,” said Cde Matsikenyera.
About 100 women were conferred with certificates in bee-keeping and quail birds rearing at Wengezi last weekend after attending a course under the guidance of Agricultural extension officers in the area.
Cde Matsikenyera has since rolled out quail birds in several wards with incubation machines and the birds were set to be distributed in several villages once they multiplied.
The Herald saw some of the quail birds at Nyanyadzi.
“Last weekend we gave some villagers certificates after they attended that course and we are already in the process of distributing them in several wards,” she said.
Cde Matsikenyera has also spearheaded drilling of boreholes to ease water challenges in all the wards.
“We have been compliment Government’s feeding programme with relish. As you know primary school children were just getting maize meal so we had to chip in so that they get relish and this will go a long way in ensuring that they concentrate on their learning without being plagued by hunger,” she said.
“We have also been working with Forestry commission in timber production. People are quite excited and these projects will continue running well after elections,” she said.
Ward three councillor Mr Muyepi Chinguno said people were excited about developmental projects that Zanu-PF was spearheading and he expressed confidence of election victory by the revolutionary party.
“I have just completed another meeting with villagers where we were discussing some of the developmental projects for the community being spearheaded by Cde Matsikenyera. People are very happy with what the ruling party is doing for them,” he said.
Local agricultural extension officer, Mr Sam Nenowo said bee-hive projects would help not only in employment creation, but also encourage people to plant trees.
“For bee-hive projects to thrive you need trees. So this project would encourage afforestation. There is also value-addition with the processing factory that we are establishing at Chaseyama with development partners,” said Mr Nenowo.
Other candidates contesting in the by-election are Mr Peter Gudyanga (Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe) Mr Edmore Mtetwa (Independent) and Mr Pesanai Musakaruka (National Constitutional Assembly.)
Online Reporter