Headman shames Zanu PF MPs

Source: Headman shames Zanu PF MPs – DailyNews Live

Helen Kadirire  11 August 2017

HARARE – A Zvishavane headman has shamed Zanu PF legislators in his area
for abandoning their constituencies after winning elections.

Speaking at the launch of a school feeding initiative by government and
aid agencies, headman Blessed Matenda said the legislators vanish
immediately after elections.

Present at the gathering was Zvishavane legislator John Holder, who the
forthright headman alleged was only present because a Cabinet minister,
Lazarus Dokora, had attended the function.

“We thank you honourable …Dokora for being here because had you not come
to our remote part of Zvishavane, Holder would not have attended. However,
take note that he was late, but all the same he came,” said Matenda.

Holder did not respond to the accusations.

“What you need to know is that Members of Parliament only want votes and
when they are done with us, they never return.

“The school where you have launched the vegetable gardens and feeding
programme is 90 years old but some people who we vote for know nothing
about it,” the forthright Matenda rubbed it in.

Members of the community who spoke to the Daily News claimed they do not
even know their legislator for Zvishavane-Runde constituency, Fred Gandiwa
Moyo.

An elderly man, Josphat Manda, said he was now fed up of legislators who
abuse rural folk to enrich themselves in Parliament.

He said the last time Moyo was in the constituency was when he was
soliciting for votes from the constituency.

“Though Zvishavane is a dry area with barely enough water, its sporadic
presence is better than Gandiwa. If he stands in front of me, I do not
even know him, yet I voted for him,” Manda said.

Moyo said the allegations by the headman were all lies as he is always in
his constituency.

He told the Daily News that every weekend he is in the village checking on
progress in projects and what other needs his constituents have.

“This is just campaign politics. The problem is that the young man
(Matenda) is at loggerheads with another headman whose wife is conducting
a thriving poultry project in the area.

“He has been accusing me of not supporting his initiatives, but what can I
do if one is not innovative? At the end of the day I cannot satisfy
everyone,” Moyo said.

Another villager, Trust Chikura, said he no longer trusted legislators as
they appeared not to care about the people who vote for them.

He added that had it not been for aid agencies and non-governmental
organisations working in the area, development would be non-existent.

“When you see these legislators in our area, they come, buy us cheap
alcohol and promise heaven on earth then leave when they are in power.

“Our legislator does not even know that we need water. He has never done
any development projects since we voted for him. Maybe if we do things
differently next year, some change will occur,” Chikura said.