Emakhandeni-Luveve MP Descent Bajila has announced plans to hold Constituency Development Fund (CDF) consultation meetings at ward level in a bid to increase community participation in development planning.
The move follows concerns that constituency-wide meetings have left some residents feeling excluded due to distance and accessibility challenges.
Following the 2023 delimitation exercise by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, Emakhandeni-Luveve Constituency now mainly comprises Wards 11 and 16, covering Emakhandeni, parts of Luveve and New Luveve, New Lobengula and Gwabalanda. The constituency was created from parts of the former Emakhandeni-Entumbane and Luveve constituencies ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections.
The CDF is a government allocation to MPs intended to support small-scale development projects identified by local communities.
Speaking during the handover of solar-powered boreholes funded under the 2025 CDF allocation, Mr Bajila said consultations for the 2026 projects would begin in June and would be decentralised to ward level.
“Consultations are the pillar of building our constituency. In June we are going to hold consultation meetings for the 2026 CDF, and this time we will try to conduct them at ward level,” he said.
Bajila said previous centralised meetings had posed challenges for some residents.
“When we hold meetings in one area, others feel excluded because of distance. We want to bring the consultations closer to the people,” he said.
He urged residents to attend the meetings and prioritise projects for their areas, saying development depended on community involvement.
“It is difficult to rely only on constituency-wide meetings. We are trying to come closer to residents so that we work well together,” he said.
Bajila added that the consultations would also provide feedback on projects proposed in 2024, including those that have not yet been implemented.
“We will report on the projects that were proposed in 2024, including what has not yet been done. Residents will also have the opportunity to identify new projects they want implemented,” he said.
He warned that low turnout in some areas could lead to uneven representation during project selection.
“If residents from one section do not attend while others participate in large numbers, it may affect how priorities are set,” he said.
“Consultation meetings are the pillar of building our constituency.”