News / National
Zanu-PF youths disrupt clinic project
06 May 2019 at 08:19hrs | Views
Political fighting in Bikita East has seen Zanu PF youths barring MDC Alliance ward 15 councillor Samson Dzinodya from constructing a clinic in Manjovha village under Headman Nerumedzo.
The ruling party youths blocked the project because the bricks Dzinodya was supposed to use were moulded using Constituency Development Funds, availed by Parliament to the late Zanu PF MP Kennedy Matimba.
Dzinodya confirmed the incident, which occurred on Monday last week, and said that the youths engaged the services of two Police Internal Security Intelligence officers, Takaedza Chaneketa and Simbarashe Nyereyehama, who ordered him to stop the construction.
"Yes, we wanted to construct toilets before building the rest of the clinic blocks, but Zanu PF youths, which include Zanu PF ward 15 youth chair Jimmy Chimiso, Milton Paradzai and Hardlife Chabata, reported to the police that we were about to use the bricks that were made during the late Matimba's tenure," Dzinodya said.
"I wanted to use the 30% tranche that we are allocated by the rural council, and some locals had donated more than 600 bags for the project. The community was providing the labour and other minor services, but the issue of bricks has stalled the construction of the clinic.
"Our goal is to have a clinic in the ward, where people can access health services regardless of political affiliation. This is not a Zanu PF or MDC project, but something that would benefit the community as a whole."
Contacted for comment, Chaneketa said he was not allowed to talk to the media and referred all the questions to police in Masvingo.
Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Chief Inspector Charity Mazula said she could not comment on the issue because she was in a meeting.
"I am in a meeting right now, I cannot comment at the moment. Just try to call me later," she said.
MDC Alliance spokesperson Jacob Mafume said the atmosphere created by President Emmerson Mnangangwa when he openly declared that he would sabotage MDC projects gave birth to the kind of "barbaric behaviour" displayed by the Zanu PF youths in Bikita.
"On the issue of police officers, what they did is partisan politics, which is unconstitutional. They should not been seen meddling in politics," he said.
Zanu PF Masvingo provincial spokesperson Ronald Ndava could not be reached for comment on his mobile phone.
The ruling party youths blocked the project because the bricks Dzinodya was supposed to use were moulded using Constituency Development Funds, availed by Parliament to the late Zanu PF MP Kennedy Matimba.
Dzinodya confirmed the incident, which occurred on Monday last week, and said that the youths engaged the services of two Police Internal Security Intelligence officers, Takaedza Chaneketa and Simbarashe Nyereyehama, who ordered him to stop the construction.
"Yes, we wanted to construct toilets before building the rest of the clinic blocks, but Zanu PF youths, which include Zanu PF ward 15 youth chair Jimmy Chimiso, Milton Paradzai and Hardlife Chabata, reported to the police that we were about to use the bricks that were made during the late Matimba's tenure," Dzinodya said.
"I wanted to use the 30% tranche that we are allocated by the rural council, and some locals had donated more than 600 bags for the project. The community was providing the labour and other minor services, but the issue of bricks has stalled the construction of the clinic.
"Our goal is to have a clinic in the ward, where people can access health services regardless of political affiliation. This is not a Zanu PF or MDC project, but something that would benefit the community as a whole."
Contacted for comment, Chaneketa said he was not allowed to talk to the media and referred all the questions to police in Masvingo.
Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Chief Inspector Charity Mazula said she could not comment on the issue because she was in a meeting.
"I am in a meeting right now, I cannot comment at the moment. Just try to call me later," she said.
MDC Alliance spokesperson Jacob Mafume said the atmosphere created by President Emmerson Mnangangwa when he openly declared that he would sabotage MDC projects gave birth to the kind of "barbaric behaviour" displayed by the Zanu PF youths in Bikita.
"On the issue of police officers, what they did is partisan politics, which is unconstitutional. They should not been seen meddling in politics," he said.
Zanu PF Masvingo provincial spokesperson Ronald Ndava could not be reached for comment on his mobile phone.
Source - newsday
