Binga MP bemoans district's marginalisation

`Binga South opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Fanuel Cumanzala, has issued a passionate plea for government intervention to address the chronic underdevelopment plaguing his constituency.

Speaking on the challenges facing the area, Cumanzala said Binga South's vast natural resources and cultural heritage have not translated into meaningful development for its residents.

"For decades, promises have been made, and projects have been announced, yet the ordinary villager in Kamalumbu, Sinamagonde, or Mabobolo still asks the same painful question: When will development reach us?" he said.

He described the ongoing drought and food insecurity as "a cruel visitor" that has left families hungry and livestock decimated. To tackle the crisis, he urged the government to establish irrigation schemes powered by the Zambezi River and Lake Kariba, promote drought-resistant crops, and distribute food aid fairly and without political bias. "Hunger knows no party; it knows only human suffering," he stressed.

Cumanzala also decried the lack of access to clean water, noting that women and children in some communities walk up to 15 kilometres to fetch water. He called for the rehabilitation of broken boreholes, expansion of drilling programmes, and adoption of solar technology for sustainability. "Water is life; therefore, it is unacceptable for communities living along the Zambezi to remain thirsty," he said.

Highlighting what he termed "the greatest irony," the MP pointed out that while Kariba Dam powers much of the nation, most of Binga South remains without electricity. He urged the Rural Electrification Agency to complete stalled projects so that clinics, schools, and small businesses can operate effectively.

On infrastructure, he pressed for the urgent surfacing of roads to prevent seasonal isolation during the rainy season. He also expressed concern over the state of education, where children walk long distances to school and face severe teacher shortages. He proposed better incentives for rural teachers, ICT facilities to support digital learning, and vocational training in carpentry, tourism, fishing, and mechanics to empower local youth.

Cumanzala painted a bleak picture of the health sector, where mothers often travel for hours or even days to reach clinics. He called for the construction of new health facilities, improved maternity wards, regular medicine supplies, and decent housing for health workers. "Health is a right, not a privilege," he said.

Turning to human-wildlife conflict, the MP noted that villagers regularly lose crops, livestock, and even lives to elephants, lions, and crocodiles, yet see little benefit from the wildlife industry. He demanded community shareholding in wildlife revenues and fair compensation for victims.

"The people of Binga South are tired of seeing resources allocated, but never reaching them," he said, accusing authorities of neglect.

Cumanzala concluded by insisting that Binga South was not inherently poor but had been "made poor by neglect." He called for fairness, equity, and justice, urging authorities to replace decades of unfulfilled promises with tangible action.