DZIVARASEKWA CONSTITUENCY 2020 END OF YEAR ADDRESS
Edwin Mushoriwa (MP)
Greetings to the residents, stakeholders and stockholders of the great Constituency of Dzivaresekwa.
BACKGROUND
2020 was a very difficult year for Zimbabwe due to the harsh economic, social and political environment. The economic meltdown has been felt both at constituency and at family level and this was worsened by the lockdown due to the COVID-19 Epidemic. At a community level, our pride as residents of the capital city of Zimbabwe has been shaken as we have water crisis and other crises that are not supposed to be found in an urban constituency.
The promised Covid-19 allowances that were meant to mitigate effects on the epidemic to vulnerable groups and informal traders did not come as the Government decided to treat Urban residents especially Harare and Bulawayo as second-class citizens. The rice that was donated to Zimbabwe to assist vulnerable groups was given to rural constituencies and denied to vulnerable groups in Harare and Bulawayo.
The political landscape has also not been favorable for we witnessed an open onslaught and assault on the MDC Alliance party resulting in more than 30 Members of Parliament and more than 150 Councilors of the party being recalled by a party whose candidates they defeated at the 2018 elections. As Dzivaresekwa constituency we were not spared for we lost both our councilors [Gilbert. T Hadebe of ward 39 & Stephen Dhliwayo of ward 40] who were recalled by Thokozani Khupe led MDCT.
CONSTITUENCY DEVELOPMENT
In spite of the challenges of 2020, we advise of the following developments that together as a constituency managed to achieve with the little resources at our disposal.
WATER AND SANITARY
1. We started 2020 by handing over to the community the new boreholes that had been drilled at the end of 2019 to Yamurai Primary School, Marwede community, Nehanda Community, Hwata circle in Dzivarasekwa 1 as well as resuscitation of an old farm borehole at Marwede site offices.
2. With the assistance from Oxfam and other development partners, we solar powered Gunhill’s 10th street borehole in Dzivaresekwa 1 as well as ring fencing it.
3. With the assistance of Mvuramanzi Trust we drilled and installed solar powered borehole at RCZ church/ Gombo to service RCZ Church, Gombo school and residents in Muzikanwi street and Sungayi Street.
4. Installation of piped water taps at Dzivaresekwa 2 shops.
5. We managed to retrieve Borehole repair equipment which were being privatized and placed it under City of Harare department of Works so that they do quarterly Borehole routine service and ordinary repair of our boreholes in Dzivaresekwa constituency.
6. Established Water Point Committees at each borehole with the aim of maintaining and managing the boreholes.
7. Storm water drainage clearance in the two wards of DZ.
8. Attended to sewer blocking in both wards.
EDUCATION
1. Sourced thousands of bricks and building materials for construction of an Administration and Classroom Blocks at Yamurai Primary School which was given a fully-fledged status as a Primary School this year after several years as a satellite of Gombo Primary School in mainland Dzivaresekwa.
2. Assisted in the opening of Glaudina Primary School albeit temporarily being run by the community with plans at an advanced stage to have it run as a formal school with Government Teachers in 2021.
3. Discussions with Roman Catholic Church to build a public Dzivaresekwa Extension Secondary School which were affected by COVID-19 are in progress. Parallel to the Roman Catholic initiative we are engaging the Government through the Public Sector Investment Programmes [PSIP] to provide funding for the construction of the secondary school. It is our view that school children in Dzivaresekwa Extension should not travel across the river seeking affordable Government or Council schools.
4. We identified and together with Ministry of Local Government are working to reclaim land which were meant for public schools in Extension and Nehanda area which was illegally converted to residential or private schools. Dzivaresekwa Extension being an urban set up should have a public primary school for every 500 household
HEALTH
1. Rujeko Clinic which was closed due to Covid-19 and the incapacitation of our healthy workers was reopened at the end of the year and is now operational.
2. We managed to rehabilitate the Rujeko Polyclinic Incinerator which was emitting gases and was disturbing the people in Rujeko and Pasipanodya as well as surrounding areas.
3. The Septic tank at Dzivaresekwa poly clinic was drained and there was facilitation of provision of piped water in the maternity wing at the clinic.
4. We managed to get a commitment from the Harare City Health department to convert an old Farm house in Glaudina to a polyclinic so that the people in Glaudina and nearby areas get access to health services.
INFRASTRUCTURE
1. The Link road between Dzivaresekwa and Dzivaresekwa Extension still remains outstanding due to bureaucratic challenges with the Ministry of Local Government.
2. Design work on the construction of footpath between DZ 3 and Glaudina/Phase 2 was completed and the construction will be done in 2021.
3. To reduce accidents and fatalities among pedestrians crossing Bulawayo road we have asked the relevant Ministry to install robots or construct a roundabout at Whitehouse.
PARLIAMENTARY WORK
Dzivaresekwa Constituency MP Edwin Mushoriwa has managed to raise smart solutions to pertinent socio-economic issues in Parliament on matters that affect Dzivaresekwa constituency and the country at large. He also is an active member of three portfolio committees of Parliament namely Public Accounts, Budget and Finance as well as that of Industry and Commerce. He has debated Bills and posed smart questions as well as proffer amendments to Bills and has moved smart motions such as:
• The need to devolve the collection of vehicles license fees from ZINARA to local authorities such as City of Harare so that our roads in Dzivaresekwa are fixed. Vehicle licenses are being collected by ZINARA yet there is little money being poured into servicing of our roads.
• Moved a notice of motion that the Government allocates at least 2% of the national budget towards renewal of old suburbs such as Dzivaresekwa since the infrastructure no longer has capacity to sustain the increased population.
2021 OUTLOOK
The resurgence of COVID-19 epidermic coupled with the unpredictable weather pattern is a dark cloud hanging over Zimbabwe.
This is made worse by lack of proper planning and policy inconsistency by the Government which means Zimbabwe will continue to face a bleak future unless urgent steps are taken to reverse the negative trend. It is our view that the problem in Zimbabwe is a political legitimacy crisis whose genesis is the disputed elections and manifests itself in the economic challenges.
As your elected representative both in Parliament and City of Harare we will continue to engage you to bring development in our various neighborhoods, wards and the constituency in these trying times. We will continue to enhance transparency and accountability in the little resources that we manage such as Constituency Development Fund.
We don’t take lightly the trust that you bestowed on us for the period 2018-2023 and we are forever indebted to you. We will continue to be exemplary ambassadors and servants of Dzivaresekwa Constituency.
We wish you a better and prosperous 2021.
TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER.
Edwin Mushoriwa
MP-Dzivaresekwa
Email: [email protected]
Twitter @mushoriwaedwin
Facebook: Edwin Mushoriwa
Tel: 0772811181
Stephen Dhliwayo [ward 40]
Email : [email protected]
Facebook :Stephen Dhliwayo
Tel 0773012210
Gilbert Hadebe [ward 39]
Tel 0772924323
