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Talent Chimutambgi Herald Reporter
Several stakeholders in Southerton constituency recently got a shot in the arm after they received 350 raincoats from Zanu PF shadow Member of Parliament for the area, Cde Andrew Makahamadze.
Cde Makahamadze handed over the raincoats valued at about US$3 000 to Sally Mugabe Hospital, Ruvimbo Special School, Jairos Jiri Association and the area’s residents last week.
Cde Makamadze said he was spreading President Mnangangwa’s gospel of loving another when in need.
“Our President, His Excellency Cde Mnangagwa always teaches us about love, so we are doing what he encourages us to do since he walks his talk.
The raincoats, he said, will assist security personnel at the three institutions to continue doing their work, especially now when it is raining persistently.
In addition, he said the raincoats would also assist peri-urban farmers in the constituency to tend to their crops.
“We saw a need to ensure that there is continuity in terms of security operations at our hospitals and schools.
“Security personnel at hospitals and schools play a very critical role in this era of the Covid-19 pandemic because they are the first to interact with visitors, and as such they need to be continuously available to ensure that people’s temperatures are taken and to ensure that people have been properly sanitised before entering the premises.
“I also recognised that there are also a number of families in the constituency that survive on urban farming, and because of the incessant rains some of these farmers have been unable to tend to their fields, but nowthat have raincoats, they can do that anytime, even when it’s raining. We, however, do not encourage work in their fields when there are thunderstorms.”
This gesture would enhance the Government efforts in combating the spread of the coronavirus since some of the gates are left unmanned as the security guards sought shelter from continuous rains.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr Herbert Nyadzo, a peri-urban farmer said the gesture had come at the right time as they were failing to tend to their fields due to the rains.
“The donation will boost production in our fields as we are now able to work despite the fact it’s raining almost on a daily basis,” he said.
“During this period of continuous rains, weeds are taking advantage and if they are not controlled will affect our harvest.”
Mrs Alice Mupondamali said the raincoats would make it easier to manage their Pfumvudza crops in order to fulfil President Mnagagwa’s expectations of a bumper harvest through the Pfumvudza concept.
“We had received inputs from the President for the Pfumvudza schemeand our crops are doing so well with the good rains which we are receiving. In the same manner weeds are competing with crops, a situation which would reduce yields. Therefore the raincoats will enable us to work in our small fields all the time,” said Mrs Mupondamali.
Mrs Grace Kamanga, who received the donation on behalf of Jairosi Jiri Association, said they were happy since their security guards were leaving the gates unmanned when it rained, resulting in visitors entering the premises without going through Covid-19 health protocols.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter