Opinion / Columnist
'Tshinga Dube - a generous, supportive legislator'
18 Jun 2018 at 02:18hrs | Views
THE constituency consists of some of the oldest suburbs in Bulawayo such as Makokoba, Thorngrove, Westgate, Steelgate, Westondale, Barbourfields, Mzilikazi, Nguboyenja and Burombo. Most property owners in the constituency are the elderly.
Problems in the constituency that the MP can highlight in Parliament Unemployment - Labour and Ministry of Youth ministry Poverty issues - Social Welfare ministry Housing problems and overcrowding - Local Government ministry Performance of the MP in Parliament Tshinga Dube became a Member of Parliament in 2015 after the MDC-T fired its 18 "dissidents" MPs for crossing the floor to Tendai Biti's then MDC Renewal party.
The MP has been vocal in Parliament and has contributed to debate on different motions, especially to do with the welfare of war veterans. He was also very passionate in contributing to issues discussing the security sector in the country.
While some MPs clocked five years without saying anything, Dube never wasted time and in a month after becoming MP in the National Assembly he had already made his maiden speech which included outlining the problems affecting Makokoba. What people say about the MP: Grace Mkandla from Mzilikazi I know the MP, he is a generous person, especially to us the elderly people. We have benefited a lot from him. We get foodstuffs, and he has also supported us with money for projects.
The MP also donated blankets to us, and we are expecting some more soon since we are in winter season. He does not choose people along party lines. Dube has an office in the constituency where people can book appointments with him to discuss issues affecting the constituency.
Francis Nkomo I know the MP, he interacts very well with people. Dube sponsored our project called Makokoba Ensimbini, which started in 2016, where 10 youths benefited. We manufacture wheelbarrows, mattocks, shovels and many other items. We got a loan of $20 000 from the bank through his assistance and we are expecting to get another loan of $100 000. We want to use it to buy a big machine from South Africa which will manufacture scotch carts, trailers, and we are aiming high to the extent that we want to compete with big companies here in Bulawayo in terms of supply of our products to schools.
The MP is very supportive. Charles Ncube (Thorngrove) I know the MP, he works hard for the constituency, and he has spearheaded several projects in Makokoba. He also takes care of the vulnerable children, and he calls for meetings at Stanley square often, and that is where we meet him for feedback meetings. Sithabile Tshuma (Makokoba) I know the MP, but I think he has done nothing for us as youths.
Dube behaves in a partisan manner and he caters for the elderly only in this constituency. There are no jobs for us as youths. We also want an MP who takes our problems to Parliament. Right now, there are some residents working in the constituency sponsored by some non-governmental organisations, but these were selected on partisan lines. Makokoba is so congested.
I live in a family house with my three children, but I wish to own my own house. Without powerful representation in Parliament ,our future is bleak. James Sithole (Ward 7, Makokoba, councillor) I know the MP, but I have not seen any projects that he has done for the constituency. He does not consult me as a councillor in the constituency for any programmes.
Maybe he prefers to work with some people. Dube's Response Honestly, I am being driven by passion to work for my people. I have been contesting elections trying to represent them in the past elections, but I failed to win until 2015 when I became an MP. Therefore, the period that I worked for the constituency was short. I opened an office in my constituency where I meet all the people in the four districts. I have supplied hundreds of books using constituency development funds to all primary schools.
Some of the schools that benefited include Lotshe, St Patricks, Rosscamp, Lobengula and Mzilikazi primary schools, as well as secondary schools such as Mzilikazi, St Columbas and Methodist tertiary institution. We bought furniture for the above schools and also supplied furniture to United College of Education and Hillside Teachers College using my own money although Hillside Teachers' College is not in my constituency.
Very soon ,we will be supplying uniforms to schoolchildren once they are completed. We also rehabilitated libraries. Wehad three health expos from March last year where we invited some dentists and some people received spectacles free of charge, and we will conduct another health expo at the end of May. There is a chicken project which was financed at the tune of $5 000 and it employs eight people. We are planning to come up with more projects like piggery and mushroom growing. We have a fish project and a ready market which we are failing to meet the demand. The project employs 12 workers. I also sponsored 10 members in the constituency in 2016 to form Makokoba Ensimbini and offered them a factory where they are paying Zesa tariffs only.
They have exhibited their products in the form of wheelbarrows, shovels and so forth for the third time this year at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair. We have renovated Mashumba beer garden as per the request from Bulawayo City Council. The challenge is that the BCC are taking a long time to process our documents to acquire the beer garden. We want to turn it to a big factory shop where it will be subdivided into small shops for projects like carpentry, barbershops, hairdressing and others.
There is also a Tshinga Dube Foundation which caters for the vulnerable children in the constituency and up to now has assisted 25 children with payment of school fees. We bought books and uniforms for these children and with time we hope to increase the number, if funds permit. I have also assisted 200 nurses who were not employed to get employment in places around the country. I also assisted 100 students who graduated from colleges to pay outstanding fees. I have promoted sport, for instance soccer, boxing, and bought gloves for a club called Thabiso.
We are doing a lot for the constituency, but it's only that some people do not come to report their problems. They avoid me because they say I belong to certain party. I interact with the people in my constituency at the constituency offices. I have already submitted my CV to contest in the forthcoming elections as I have a passion to represent people of Makokoba in Parliament.
Problems in the constituency that the MP can highlight in Parliament Unemployment - Labour and Ministry of Youth ministry Poverty issues - Social Welfare ministry Housing problems and overcrowding - Local Government ministry Performance of the MP in Parliament Tshinga Dube became a Member of Parliament in 2015 after the MDC-T fired its 18 "dissidents" MPs for crossing the floor to Tendai Biti's then MDC Renewal party.
The MP has been vocal in Parliament and has contributed to debate on different motions, especially to do with the welfare of war veterans. He was also very passionate in contributing to issues discussing the security sector in the country.
While some MPs clocked five years without saying anything, Dube never wasted time and in a month after becoming MP in the National Assembly he had already made his maiden speech which included outlining the problems affecting Makokoba. What people say about the MP: Grace Mkandla from Mzilikazi I know the MP, he is a generous person, especially to us the elderly people. We have benefited a lot from him. We get foodstuffs, and he has also supported us with money for projects.
The MP also donated blankets to us, and we are expecting some more soon since we are in winter season. He does not choose people along party lines. Dube has an office in the constituency where people can book appointments with him to discuss issues affecting the constituency.
Francis Nkomo I know the MP, he interacts very well with people. Dube sponsored our project called Makokoba Ensimbini, which started in 2016, where 10 youths benefited. We manufacture wheelbarrows, mattocks, shovels and many other items. We got a loan of $20 000 from the bank through his assistance and we are expecting to get another loan of $100 000. We want to use it to buy a big machine from South Africa which will manufacture scotch carts, trailers, and we are aiming high to the extent that we want to compete with big companies here in Bulawayo in terms of supply of our products to schools.
The MP is very supportive. Charles Ncube (Thorngrove) I know the MP, he works hard for the constituency, and he has spearheaded several projects in Makokoba. He also takes care of the vulnerable children, and he calls for meetings at Stanley square often, and that is where we meet him for feedback meetings. Sithabile Tshuma (Makokoba) I know the MP, but I think he has done nothing for us as youths.
I live in a family house with my three children, but I wish to own my own house. Without powerful representation in Parliament ,our future is bleak. James Sithole (Ward 7, Makokoba, councillor) I know the MP, but I have not seen any projects that he has done for the constituency. He does not consult me as a councillor in the constituency for any programmes.
Maybe he prefers to work with some people. Dube's Response Honestly, I am being driven by passion to work for my people. I have been contesting elections trying to represent them in the past elections, but I failed to win until 2015 when I became an MP. Therefore, the period that I worked for the constituency was short. I opened an office in my constituency where I meet all the people in the four districts. I have supplied hundreds of books using constituency development funds to all primary schools.
Some of the schools that benefited include Lotshe, St Patricks, Rosscamp, Lobengula and Mzilikazi primary schools, as well as secondary schools such as Mzilikazi, St Columbas and Methodist tertiary institution. We bought furniture for the above schools and also supplied furniture to United College of Education and Hillside Teachers College using my own money although Hillside Teachers' College is not in my constituency.
Very soon ,we will be supplying uniforms to schoolchildren once they are completed. We also rehabilitated libraries. Wehad three health expos from March last year where we invited some dentists and some people received spectacles free of charge, and we will conduct another health expo at the end of May. There is a chicken project which was financed at the tune of $5 000 and it employs eight people. We are planning to come up with more projects like piggery and mushroom growing. We have a fish project and a ready market which we are failing to meet the demand. The project employs 12 workers. I also sponsored 10 members in the constituency in 2016 to form Makokoba Ensimbini and offered them a factory where they are paying Zesa tariffs only.
They have exhibited their products in the form of wheelbarrows, shovels and so forth for the third time this year at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair. We have renovated Mashumba beer garden as per the request from Bulawayo City Council. The challenge is that the BCC are taking a long time to process our documents to acquire the beer garden. We want to turn it to a big factory shop where it will be subdivided into small shops for projects like carpentry, barbershops, hairdressing and others.
There is also a Tshinga Dube Foundation which caters for the vulnerable children in the constituency and up to now has assisted 25 children with payment of school fees. We bought books and uniforms for these children and with time we hope to increase the number, if funds permit. I have also assisted 200 nurses who were not employed to get employment in places around the country. I also assisted 100 students who graduated from colleges to pay outstanding fees. I have promoted sport, for instance soccer, boxing, and bought gloves for a club called Thabiso.
We are doing a lot for the constituency, but it's only that some people do not come to report their problems. They avoid me because they say I belong to certain party. I interact with the people in my constituency at the constituency offices. I have already submitted my CV to contest in the forthcoming elections as I have a passion to represent people of Makokoba in Parliament.
Source - newsday
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