Aspiring candidates for Mwenezi East Constituency have promised to address challenges faced by the education sector as their top priority if voted into office in next month’s by-elections.
Three candidates, Master Makope from ZANU PF, Tendekai Mandizvidza from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), and Turner Mhango from Free Zimbabwe Congress (FZC) are long time serving teachers in the district.
The Constituency fell vacant following the death of ZANU-PF legislator Joosbi Omar in 2020.
In an interview with CITE, Makope said he has short and long term strategies if he wins.
“As a candidate for Mwenezi East constituency I want to address the real issues faced by my people in Mwenezi because I am born and bred in this district, I know most of our problems. Among the short-term programs is the rehabilitation of our boreholes to make sure that most of our households have access to clean water,” said Makope.
“We also want to rehabilitate some of the dams which were swept away, some of them need the very little task to rehabilitate them to harvest water that will even improve our nutrition and health.”
He added that most of their schools are not registered.
“The satellite schools especially in the remote areas, those schools do not have access to proper infrastructure and funding from the parent ministry because they are not registered,” said Makope.
He added that he is going to work on the electrification of old schools that have been in the dark since independence to improve the learner and teacher welfare.
“In health, I have already started citing one clinic, Pambe clinic, I want to make sure that the area has a clinic even if I might fail to complete it this year. I want to complete the Maswitsi clinic which is almost at the roofing stage now, we have been working together with the council, now the Ministry to ensure that we have that clinic completed,” said Makope.
He said he will also focus on the rehabilitation of the road network.
“We lack transport for the transportation of our people from our rural area top our nearby towns,” said Makope.
Meanwhile, Mandizvidza said he is financially crippled but will start campaigning soon.
“Promises are as follows: have ten pee road to the district hospital tarred as well as Pfumvura road,” said Mandizvidza.
He said he will also work on establishing a district orphanage which should be in the hands of the social welfare department.
“All newly established schools should have decent classrooms and teacher accommodation.”
Mandizvidza said he will also advocate for a law to protect the interests of women.
FZC aspiring candidate Mhango said they are still yet to launch their campaign.
“But all is well and on my part, I am doing door-to-door campaign and at the moment there is nothing wrong I am moving freely,” said Mhango.
