The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
NEWLY-ELECTED Lupane East Member of Parliament Cde Mbongeni Dube said he will first work on completing projects that were left hanging by his predecessor, the late Cde Sithembile Gumbo who passed on in April.
Cde Dube won the Lupane East by-election resoundingly early this month. Speaking to Sunday News last week, Cde Dube said it was important to ensure he completed pending projects while implementing new ones.
“For starters we need to have a constituency office where I can co-ordinate all activities from. People need to know where to go when they are looking for me and when they need assistance. So this will be the first stop,” he said.
Cde Dube said the constituency needs to have a central place where every project can be co-ordinated from.
He said he was consulting the senior officials in Zanu-PF in the province seeking their input and direction on how developmental projects can be implemented.
“It is a challenge to communicate in this area so we need to have sound communication. The network is very poor and that is a setback for any development as we have no other alternative to communication. The late Cde Gumbo had initiated the project but it was never completed so it is one of my first tasks,” he said.
As a youthful leader Cde Dube said his other major task would be to implement functional youth empowerment projects.
“The youths were not being catered for adequately so now I want to initiate one project per ward that the youth can do to empower themselves. They need to fend for themselves and also their families so I am going to start that up. I will start poultry projects that can generate funds,” he added.
Cde Dube said the road network was also poor.
“The road that links Lupane and Gomoza area needs more work, I am working on that one. The Ministry of Transport (and Infrastructural Development) must come and have a look at this stretch and see the difficulty that the people have when using the road. It needs to be rehabilitated as a matter of urgency,” he said.
Cde Dube said he will also look at various clinics that need completion and opening as a matter of urgency as people are forced to walk long distances to seek medical care. Another project that is on the cards is the completion of the rehabilitation of Phuphu Shrine.
“Phuphu Shrine is also on the list, it was almost completed but work on it stopped but now I will make sure it is completed and it is officially opened. It’s an important place for the people,” he said.
Access to water which is a challenge in some areas will also be looked into with an idea to sink more boreholes in the area.
