Insiza South Member of National Assembly, Spare Sithole, has lamented the discrimination of Silalatshani Irrigation Scheme by Finance and Economic Development Minister in his 2020 budget.
Silalatshani Irrigation Scheme, covering 460 hectares in Filabusi, Matabeleland South, did not receive any budget allocation for next year, while some schemes elsewhere are set to receive budgetary support in 2020.
This appears to have not gone down well with the area legislator, who complained to Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube in Parliament Wednesday.
“I have got only one appeal to the Minister,” said Sithole during a question and answer session with Ncube.
“I have noticed that every irrigation scheme, in some other parts of the country or districts is getting a budget allocation, but in Insiza South in Insiza District, Matabeleland South, we have an irrigation scheme at Silalatshani,” he said.
“All canals are leaking……. but there is no budget allocation.”
He also challenged Ncube to increase the allocation for boreholes under the District Development Fund (DDF).
“Certainly, I will take a look and he (Sithole) is right, it is a very important irrigation scheme in that region. 460 hectares is a lot of hectares to cover the region and we will take a look at that as a Ministry and see whether we can allocate resources within that,” said Ncube in his response.
Added Ncube: “He (Sithole) also mentioned the issue about borehole drilling by DDF. Here, colleagues, I must thank our Chinese colleagues for helping us with the drilling programme. They have been drilling and I was particularly hands on, on the drilling programme in Matabeleland South personally making sure that boreholes are drilled because I am aware when I visited that villagers were up at 0300 hours to go and look for water. They would queue for three to four hours easily and that pattern is repeated right across the country.”
