Mthuli Ncube buys Cowdray Park home

RATHER than becoming a "cellphone politician" who interacts with his constituents from afar, prospective Zanu-PF Member of Parliament for Cowdray Park in Bulawayo who is also Finance and Economic Development Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube has acquired a home in the constituency, as he seeks to forge closer ties with the people he aspires to represent in the august House.

Prof Ncube has spent the last few months getting closer to residents in Cowdray Park, interacting with them as he seeks to address some of their needs. Some residents in the suburb have been pleasantly surprised recently as Prof Ncube has joined in community activities, contributing the traditional "Zibuthe" fees during times of bereavement. Speaking in an interview recently, Prof Ncube said he had decided to purchase a home in Cowdray Park as he wanted to be in sync with the people that he seeks to represent.

"We have big plans for Cowdray Park and in fact, I myself have now got a house here so I am now a full citizen and resident of Cowdray Park. So, the people's problems here are fully and truly my problems as well," he said.

Prof Ncube said to empower local entrepreneurs, he had asked some of them to furnish his new home.

"I was talking to the boys that make furniture in the neighbourhood and they said they will be doing that for me so that I can also furnish my home and have it looking nice. It would be nice when the next time we meet, we can do so in my own home so that we can have tea and we can speak frankly about how we can improve and build our Cowdray Park. I would love to be invited into your own homes as well because I am now very much a part of the community. I want us to chart a way together," he said.

Reminiscing about his own childhood in the neighbouring suburb of Luveve, Prof Ncube said the circumstances that he grew up under had inspired him to run for parliament.

"I lived in Luveve in the 1970s so I know the area, the neighbourhood very well. If you look at it, Cowdray Park and Luveve were always really considered as one constituency. Back then, the youth did not have opportunities such as the ones that we are now extending to the youth, in terms of skills development, whether it's through the Red Cross programme, the driver's licence programme or the beauty and therapy programme. That didn't exist back then so these courses will go a long way in supporting the youth and I think that is what has been missing," he said.

Prof Ncube said he wanted to bring the kind of representation that he felt the area lacked when he was growing up.

"Back then, we didn't have very active members of Parliament, who could spearhead the development of roads, water while showing concern for the citizen and that is what I am bringing here in Cowdray Park. I want to show that I am with the people and I support them because I am doing this from the heart. We can only build Zimbabwe if everyone is focused and works together and urge every Member of Parliament, wherever they are in whatever corner of the country, to take their jobs seriously and put shoulder to the wheel," he said.

Turning to the issue of drug abuse in the community, Prof Ncube said he wanted to spearhead the construction of drug rehabilitation centres in Cowdray Park, which would deal with the issue in a scientific way.

"We have the current challenge of drugs and crime and by giving them skills, the youth will find themselves doing productive things and moving their lives forward instead of being stuck in the mud. This is designed to improve the lives of individuals so they stay away from illicit activities. There is still a need to develop some drug rehabilitation centres here in Cowdray Park and I will be looking to see what can be done by working with relevant Government departments to see how this problem can be dealt with in a kind of medical way, besides giving individuals necessary skills to make themselves better," he said.