The Sunday News
Tino Chakanyuka, Senior Reporter
HIS name is Omega, a Greek word, often used to denote the last, the end, or the ultimate, and he vows to put an end to woes dogging Vungu constituency in the Midlands Province.
Zanu-PF National Assembly candidate for Vungu constituency and Zifa vice-president Cde Omega Sibanda has pledged to save his community from spiraling into an abyss of want. He has put himself up to diligently serve the constituency and bring back days of abundance to the area, if voted into office in the beckoning plebiscite. Once renowned as a nucleus for market gardening activity in the Midlands Province, Vungu constituency has over the years spiraled into an epicentre of drought.
The irrigation schemes, which provided locals not only with food but substantive income, are now derelict operating at below 40 percent capacity. Dilapidated road infrastructure, inadequate schools, water shortages among other woes in Vungu evokes pain in Cde Sibanda’s heart.
He yearns to be the fulcrum of the constituency’s development agenda, leading from the front to bring the constituency to speed with other developed areas in the country. Vungu constituency is a rural constituency in Gweru District made up of 11 electoral wards, covering communal lands and commercial farms. Cde Sibanda said when elected into office, one of his main deliverables would be resuscitation of irrigation schemes in the constituency to guarantee food security in the area.
“I’m looking at Vungu and saying, I’m the one who is supposed to bring that change through the new dispensation,” he said.
Added Cde Sibanda, “For the past 15 or so years, all irrigation schemes in Lower Gweru are not functioning. Lower Gweru is known for vegetables, for producing fruits, but for now it isn’t. People are starving and living on handouts, yet they used to be self sufficient. These irrigation schemes must be resuscitated and that would be one of my main projects when I get into office,” he said.
Some of the main irrigation schemes in Lower Gweru include, Shagari, Insukamini, Mambanjeni and Mkoba. Cde Sibanda said he would also want to ensure that more schools are constructed in the constituency which is presently being served by only two high schools, Lower Gweru Mission and Maboleni High School.
“Those are some of the things that we have to tackle. Those schools are not teaching sciences, which means we will never produce a pharmacist or a doctor in Vungu. We need more than seven high schools in Vungu.The infrastructure at our schools is not up to scratch, it needs attention. We cannot afford to have more bottle stores than schools as is the case now in Vungu.
We want to stop that. We would rather have more churches and schools.”
He also decried the dilapidated road infrastructure in the constituency which he said needed urgent attention. Cde Sibanda said rehabilitation of the road network, particularly the road from Gweru to Lower Gweru, was key to the economy of the area.
“The tarred road from Gweru to Lower Gweru needs attention. That road must be done to link it with the Kwekwe-Nkayi Road. That will be business for Vungu and toll gate can be put there for local people to benefit,” he said.
Water shortages in areas such as Sogwala, Makepesi and Dimbamhiwa are part of the challenges that Cde Sibanda targets to tackle when elected.
“We need to drill boreholes in those areas because they are dry. People in those areas rely on rain water but it’s not sufficient.
Things must change in Vungu and we have to drive that change,” he said.
Cde Sibanda said he would also want to initiate the establishment of vocational training centres in Maboleni and Somabhula areas to cater for the youths in the constituency. He said he has set a target of achieving 70 percent of these deliverables in his first tenure of five years if elected. Cde Sibanda said a constituency development committee and constituency development trust, made up of successful people from Vungu will be set up to drive the constituency’s development agenda.
“The constituency development committee is the one which is going to make sure that the constituency is run perfectly. It will manage the constituency development fund. There is going to be a constituency development trust which is going to be run by the sons of Vungu. There are plenty business people, plenty lawyers, plenty successful guys from Vungu. I’m saying to them this is our time, let’s come in and support the new dispensation,” he said.
Ironically Cde Sibanda is vying for the same seat which in the 2013 harmonised election was contested by his younger brother, former radio personality Mr Ezra Sibanda who was on an MDC-T ticket. Mr Sibanda however, lost to Cde Josphat Madubeko of Zanu-PF.
Cde Sibanda said about his brother, “I tried to convince him to join Zanu-PF but he refused. He came in on an MDC-T ticket and lost. It didn’t worry me though. Very soon he’s going to join Zanu-PF. He will realise that Zanu-PF is the party. We relate very well, he’s my brother. He supports me very well and even sends me money to go and campaign.”
Cde Sibanda said he has always been an active member of Zanu-PF and his decision to contest came about at the time when President Mnangagwa was being persecuted by the G40 cabal led by former First Lady Mrs Grace Mugabe.
He said his Damascus moment was the Zanu-PF youth interface rally at White City Stadium in Bulawayo last year, where the then President Mr Robert Mugabe attacked President Mnangwagwa in public.
“When I saw him (President Mnangagwa) being castigated, it touched me, especially the White City incident. I said something was wrong. This was destroying Zimbabwe,” he said.
Cde Sibanda said as the new political dispensation unfolded, he felt a compelling conviction to join mainstream politics. He said his joining of mainstream politics will not dilute his passion for football as he will continue being involved in the game which he fell in love with at a young age. Cde Sibanda will square off with MDC Alliance candidate Mr Nimrod Lunga on 30 July.
@irielyan
