A Pastor with Tabernacle of Worship Ministries, Tarwireyi helped form the trust together with other community members in Mutoko North. “We formed the trust with the aim of addressing the myriad of challenges that the people of Mutoko North are facing,” he said.
There are many companies extracting and processing black granite in Mutoko. These include National Stone Export Company under the control of Uzumba Marambe Pfungwe MP, Simbaneuta Mudarikwa; Zimbabwe International Quarries, believed to be under the control of Harare lawyer, Elisha Chihambakwe; Quarrying Enterprises owned by Ebby Smith; ZAIBO/FAENIX Mining owned by Emmanuel Nyanyiwa and Ilford Services.
“Most of these companies are not contributing to the development of the community,” Tarwireyi added. The granite extraction activities pose health hazards to the community.
“Open gullies pose a threat to livestock and human beings. Horticulture is greatly disturbed. More worrying is the noise pollution. Due to vibration from heavy machinery houses are cracking and owners are not being compensated,” said Tarwireyi.
Prostitution is now rife in the area as poverty-stricken young women sell their bodies to workers at the granite extraction industries to eke out a living.
In the midst of this chaos, the MNCDT has formed an orphanage to cater for the welfare of disadvantaged children.
“Apart from catering for orphans, MNCDT is doing exceptionally well by bringing together communities to discuss constituency development issues like disowning violence and promoting peace,” said Charlotte Makwembere. MNCDT is assisting organisations involved in drought relief programmes by buying maize and distributing it to locals to avert a debilitating hunger crisis in the area. This is in addition to initiating sporting activities like soccer, netball and volleyball to entertain unemployed youths.
Post published in: News