Tuesday, March 27, 2012

DIMAF FIASCO HURTING RESIDENTS

By Habakkuk Trust Information Department

Bulawayo: As the chaos and political machinations surrounding the disbursements of the Distressed Industries and ,Marginalized Areas Fund continue unabated, the Habakkuk Trust Community Advocacy Action Teams have added their voice calling for the immediate disbursements of the funds as de-industrialization is hurting ordinary citizens.

According to an Opinion Poll carried by carried by Habakkuk Trust most Advocacy Actions have described the continued confusions surrounding DIMAF as both selfish and uncalled for. Vusumuzi Mpofu from Entumbane lamented that ‘this chaos around DIMAF is hurting us the ordinary citizens as we are the ones who are unemployed. It is unfortunately that they (government) are delaying with these monies at a time when we are hungry and they are full’. His sentiments were echoed by Ethel from Sizinda who questioned the genuinety and motive behind delays in disbursing the funds saying ‘these leaders should start having the people at heart and speedily ensure that DIMAF is channeled to deserving industries immediately’.
Another resident Siboniso Mabhena from Makokoba called for all stakeholders involved in the DIMAF process to ‘stop bickering and start creating employment for the people of Bulawayo so as to curb unemployment, crime and vice in the City’. Speaking on the same DIMAF issue Joseph Ndlovu from Nketa stressed that ‘DIMAF was meant for Bulawayo industries. Government and the banks concerned should simple keep the promise, disburse the monies and stop hiding behind systems that do not work’. Glander Nyoni from Gwabalanda also questioned if the current bickering on DIMAF is at the best interest of the people or the politicians and if this bickering is helping alleviate the plight of Bulawayo residents?

The Distressed Industries and Marginalized Areas Fund (DIMAF) is a government fund that was created by cabinet in 2011 to help cushion and curb massive de-industrialization in Bulawayo. Since the fund came to effect there has been a lot of bickering, machinations, blame game and debate on the fund. Bulawayo industries have been complaining that the stringent systems being set by the financial institution administering the fund makes it difficult for the distressed companies to access the fund. Recently the Minister of Industry and Commerce revealed that most Bulawayo firms who deserve to benefit from the fund were finding it difficult to do so. Shockingly though was the Minister’s revelation that one company that benefited $1million from the fund is using the bulk of the money for the rehabilitation of its Harare branch.

Habakkuk Trust shall continue to monitor the developments surrounding DIMAF as well as advocating for fairness, transparency, accountability and equity in the disbursements of the fund.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

UPDATE FROM THE TREASON TRIAL IN BULAWAYO

By Information Department

The three members of the secessionist group, Mthwakazi Liberation Front, who are jointly facing treason trial, appeared in the Bulawayo High Court yesterday (Monday 20 March 2012). The three Paul Siwela, John Gazi and Charles Thomas are being charged with distributing subversive material that is deemed to have been aimed at inciting the people of Zimbabwe or a section thereof to overthrow a legitimate government and create a separate Mthwakazi state.
Yesterday 2 out of 11 key state witnesses were cross examined and they both failed to identify the accused persons.
The packed High Court gallery was treated to a fun filled court session as the state prosecutor seemed to be struggling to get his details on track. At one time he announced that the three are facing charges of murder and at one moment the judge told him that ‘it seems you do not know what you are reading’.
The case continues today at the High Court of Bulawayo.

REHABILITATION OF MANGWE BOREHOLES ON COURSE

By Information Department

The social impact of the Mangwe water project, which shall see a total of 28 defunct boreholes being rehabilitated, is tremendous; it has breathed life into the rural communities of Ward 1 and 13 in Mangwe.

In primary schools where boreholes have been rehabilitated like Mkhaya Primary School for example, the school’s newly found vivacity is evident for everyone to see. Children who once struggled to concentrate in class or participate in extra mural activities because of exhaustion from walking long distances to and from school without proper hydration can now be seen playing sport with great enthusiasm and joy. Their teachers do confirm that the classroom environment is filled with pleasure and productivity. Importantly too, is that sanitation in the school is now up to standard, and looming health crisis has been averted.
Ultimately, in yet another year of poor rainfall in the Matabeleland South region the rehabilitation of boreholes has been a timely intervention. The rehabilitation of boreholes has shared the load on water points that are stressed by over use and the lowering of the underground water table, especially during the dry season. The villagers now expect to go through the dry season with an adequate supply of clean and safe water.
The contribution of Habakkuk Trust Advocacy Action Teams on the project is stellar and selfless, and they have shown that they now possess the skills and aptitude to pursue bigger advocacy and development issues in their region such as irrigation projects, dam rehabilitation and utilization, the pressing issue of pastoral rights and grazing land as well as key decision and governance issues.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

NO DEVOLUTION – NO CONSTITUTION: BULAWAYO RESIDENTS

Habakkuk Trust Information Department

Bulawayo residents have vowed that they will not vote for a draft constitution that does not guarantee the devolution of political and administrative power to the provinces.

According to a survey conducted by Habakkuk Trust Information Department on the 14th of March 2012, residents from across the City said they wanted devolution of power to be in the constitution and will vote ‘no’ for a draft constitution that does not have devolution of power. ‘When people went for the Copac Outreach process, they spoke openly that they want devolution of power and Copac and the Government of Zimbabwe should ensure that devolution is given to the people’, said Mr. Joseph Ndlovu from Nketa. His sentiments were further echoed by Ms Siboniso Mabhena from Makokoba who observed that ‘without devolution of power, there is no need for a new constitution’.
Mr. Vusumuzi Mpofu from Entumbane refused that devolution of power will divide Zimbabweans on ethnic lines saying ‘the truth is that currently Zimbabweans are heavily divided along tribal and ethnic lines. Devolution of power seeks to address the root causes of what has divided us’. This was supported by Miss Glenda Ncube from Gwabalanda who also observed that ‘devolution is a form of healing and I don’t see it dividing people at all’. A Sizinda resident, Ms Ethel Banda reiterated that ‘it is not cast in stone that devolution will divide people’ suggesting that since the centralized system of government have proven to promote tribalism and racial discrimination maybe devolution can be the solution to the problem.