The Sunday News
Tinomuda Chakanyuka, Senior Reporter
ZANU-PF National Assembly candidate for Vungu Constituency in the Midlands Province Cde Omega Sibanda has paid to tribute to the late former Information Minister and Zanu-PF Politburo member Dr Sikhanyiso Ndlovu whom he said inspired him to join politics.
In a wide ranging interview, Cde Sibanda said conversations he had with Dr Ndlovu on various political topics, keep ringing in his head and are part of the reason he has taken up politics. Cde Sibanda, the Zimbabwe Football Association vice-president, said although he had always been an active member of Zanu-PF in the lower structures of the party, he had never thought of himself joining mainstream politics.
But as the old adage says, wisdom comes with age, Dr Ndlovu wise words began to make sense to Cde Sibanda as he grew older. When the opportunity to represent the revolutionary party in the forthcoming election presented itself, Cde Sibanda wasted no time and latched on to it.
“I never thought I’d one day be into serious politics. I’ve been a Zanu-PF member since 1992 but I’d never thought of joining mainstream politics. I used to manage the late ubaba uNdlovu (Dr Sikhanyiso Ndlovu). I used to be part of his election campaign. The late ubaba uNdlovu used to talk to me a lot about politics, but I didn’t like the game because I thought it was very dirty. But then he used to tell me that politics is not dirty but the player is the one who is dirty. So if you the player becomes smart, politics will also become smart,” he said.
Cde Sibanda added, “He was my greatest of friends and I miss him so much. I say to him rest in peace. I’ve made so many strides in politics and I’m sure if he was there he would be a very happy man and say look at my product. In politics I’m Dr Ndlovu’s product”.
Cde Sibanda said now that he is in mainstream politics, he owes it to Dr Ndlovu and the people of Vungu to diligently serve the constituency if he is elected into office. Vungu Constituency covers communal lands in Lower Gweru and surrounding areas as well as vast tracts of commercial farm land. Cde Sibanda said his development agenda focuses on improving the livelihoods of people from his constituency both those in communal settlements and those in commercial farms. Adequate supply of water throughout the year for commercial farms, Cde Sibanda said, was one of his key deliverables if he becomes the legislator for the area.
“If you look at the area between Sogwala and the commercial farming area, across Vungu River there must be a bridge which will also serve as a dam wall. There must a dam across Vungu River. That dam will ensure all year round supply of water for commercial farmers in that area to do irrigation. People from Sikombingo and Makulambila will also benefit from the dam,” he said.
Cde Sibanda said the bridge across Vungu River will link the communal areas in the constituency to the commercial farming area as well as the resettlement areas on either side of the Harare highway. He said during the rainy season when Vungu River gets flooded communication between the two areas is cut.
“The Bridge will link Lower Gweru area with the commercial farming area. Vungu us a very big river and when it rains people struggle to cross and some children learn across the river and lose a lot of learning time during the rainy season,” he said.
Cde Sibanda said in his tenure he would ensure that local people fully benefit from the Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (Campfire) programme. He said the programme must be run by the local authority to ensure that proceeds realised from local resources are channelled towards local development.
“People are not benefiting from the Campfire programme. The main thrust of the programme is that local people must benefit from their natural resources, but that has not been the case with Vungu people. Directors of Campfire in our area don’t even come from Vungu. What do they want if they are not doing anything that benefits the local people?
Campfire must be wholly owned by Vungu Rural District Council so that money can be disbursed to locals, equally. Cde Sibanda, being the football person he has been since his youth, said he was also embarking on a talent search programme in Vungu Constituency to unearth raw football talent. He outlined a number of talent development projects that he has already initiated in Lower Gweru.
“Lower Gweru is a hub of football. There is a team called Lower Gweru United playing in Division Two. I am proud to be associated with that team. There are Area Zone leagues that have been set up by Zifa and Lower Gweru is ably represented.
There is also a Christian League which we want to be affiliated to Zifa and that is already work in progress. All these programmes are meant to give a platform to local youth to showcase their talent and perhaps earn a living through that,” he said.
Cde Sibanda said his target was to achieve 75 percent of these projects in his first term in office. Confident of victory, Cde Sibanda said he will use leadership experience he gained in the various portfolios in different sectors that he led, to lead the Vungu Constituency development agenda.
