Speaking on the sidelines of a Manicaland Provincial Development Roadmap meeting in the city this week, the chiefs lamented that these areas had been neglected in the past, though the Zanu (PF) government had previously promised to make amends at independence in 1980. “The previous government had promised so much, yet it delivered nothing in terms of rural development. Now we are talking of a coalition government, it should provide clean water in wells and build a Blair toilet for each household,” said Chief Katerere of Nyanga.
He said there were a lot of rural housing funds that some NGOs had been looking forward to establishing to which applicants could apply for assistance repayable with proceeds from harvests at the end of season, but the Zanu (PF) government and war veterans have been blocking such initiatives.
He said: “There are some donor agencies who want to build small bridges free of charge for rural communities and dispensaries in villages to give out medicines, but due to political reasons the NGOs have withdrawn their services. This will reduce patients at clinics and district hospitals.” The government cannot do it alone. Therefore, some private players should be allowed to operate freely without any political interference. There is need to bridge the gap between urban and rural life, he said.
Post published in: News