Totally agree on the need for development in Mberebgwa, but we need to agree as people of Mberengwa on what constitute development pillars and what may further foster sustainable developnent of Mberengwa?
In my view development must be based on: -good infrastructure particularly tarmacadamisation of roads in Mberengwa
-Infrustructural development of hospitals, schools, vocational training institutions, University, dip tanks, malls, banks and other forms of communication, etc
-corporate social developnent of mining industry in particular
– food security based on thriving agriculture powered by small scale irrigation schemes given the arid environment of Mberengwa.
-Safe and reliable sources of water
-Tourism
-Cultural commoditisation
-Improvement of the livelihoods of people of Mberengwa.
Collectively, these can foster sustainable development. We certainly need unity in diversity across political divide to achieve this feat, let alone responsible leadership in Mberengwa. As much as gvt support is crucial, that can only be harnessed if those in crucial leadership positions are responsible enough to understand how gvt functions. Gvt programs are planned for five years and when Ministers change continuity may not be guaranteed or forthcoming unless the leaders from Mberengwa area continue to exert influence. I certainly think former Minister of Transport, Joramu Gumbo, wanted to tar the West Nicholson-Rutenga road when he became Minister. However, when he was changed and Joe Big Matiza became the Minister of Transport, the project died a natural death. Joramu Gumbo lost power to exert influence over tarring of that road and any further attempts to exert influence would have been interpreted as an attempt to try to continue to exert influence in an area he was no longer Minister. Yet that project would have continued if the four Mps in Mberengwa had a collective working relationship. Sadly, it seems the four Mps have no consolidated plans for the development of Mberengwa and rarely do they meet as Mps to plan the development of Mberengwa, let alone summon the support of Mberengwa people on development across the political divide. Successive budgets since 2018 have reflected allocation of funds for infrastructural development of roads in Mberengwa. However, unless the four Mps have concrete plans of tarring roads, I dont see anything happening in terms of tarring roads in Mberengwa until 2018 and even thereafter.
Whereas other areas are enjoying rural development from devolution funds, Mberengwa seem to have been cursed and is hardly witnessing anything spectacular in terms of development. With local leaders working collectively, Mberengwa has potential to attract consortium companies to tar roads and recupe their financies from tall gates. The tarring of Rutenga-West Nicholson Road can provide the shortest route from Chiredzi to Bulawayo, while the tarring of Dholo-Vanguard road would provide the shortest route from Beitbridge to Northern Zimbabwe, Zambia and DRC. A tall gate on the Mberengwa-Mat South border along the West Nicholson-Rutenga road can recupe any expenses incurred by any consortium in the construction of roads in Mberengwa.
Other than gvt, the natural and human resources of Mberengwa can foster the sustainable development of Mberengwa. The rich minerals, viz, emeralds, chrome, iron ore, gold, platinum, vanadium, berryllium, cement, lime, asbestos, tantalite etc can be tapped and harnessed for development of Mberengwa by calling upon such mining companies to honour corporate social responsibility or ploughing back into the community from which they are reaping huge profits. All prospecting people (including artisinal miners – Makorokosa) must also pay a local tax that must be put towards development. This way we can harness resources from mining industry for development. Above all building processing plants near the mining areas can add value addition and benefitiation from the mining industry in Mberengwa as opposed the the current plunder, wrecking and siphoning of resources of Mberengwa with the consequent development of underdevelopment, and underdevelopment of development. It is insultive, demeaning and degrading for Mimosa to give the 16 Mberengwa chiefs only a jojo tank each and see this as brilliant social responsibility. There other mining companies that have not even given a spoon to the people of Mberengwa. Mining companies must plough part of their proceeds from mining ventures into meaningful social responsibility and not mere tokenism.
Equally important is the human resource from Mberengwa. There is need for an inventory or computerisation of Mberengwa rich human resource and an appeal to this diverse human resource across the globe, continent, region and four corners of Zimbabwe over a developmental ethos of Mberengwa. Collectively, this human resource, together with judicious exploitation of resources, frugality and thrift can be powerful propellents for sustaibable development of Mberengwa.
Political acidity, aridity and rigidity has no traction for the people of Mbengwa. Its high time we should infuse sustainable development in our politics, economics and social frame in Mberengwa. This does not imply that we must belong to one political party in Mberengwa, but that our political pluralism must never inhibit development. We must find unity in our political diversity to foster development in Mberengwa. Development knows no political party.
Having proffered this broad based blue print for the development of Mberengwa, I rest my case.
Dr Takavafira M. Zhou
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