Meet your potential leaders’ dialogue series

The meet your potential leaders’ dialogue series play an important role in political engagement and communication in local communities. It is a tool that assists in getting a clear understanding of the patterns of daily political discussion, uncovering the main electoral issue and interest of the community stakeholders. It proves that active citizenship and civic engagement have become a political priority for local people in various communities. Platform for Youth development Trust in collaboration with NANGO held a dialogue meeting dubbed "Meet your potential leaders" with the electorate at New Checheche Conference centre in Chipinge South Constituency on 23 July 2018. 

The event lived up to the expectations with three candidates turning up for the meeting where more than 100 people braved the chilly weather to interface with their potential leaders. This public dialogue meeting accorded citizens and voters an opportunity to discuss with the candidates, issues affecting sustainable development and service delivery. The candidates who accorded their time to the electorate were Mr Kudakwashe F Chiororo (independent), Mr Takawira Mupakati (NCA) and Mr Clifford Hlatswayo (MDC Alliance) whereas Zanu PF candidate and the incumbent Member of Parliament Mr Enock Porusingazi who was invited to the same event failed to attend citing a tight campaign schedule. The present candidates spent their time discussing the policy gap which they pledged to address when elected into office. The dialogue series highlighted the main motifs of political conversation of the contesting parties and independents, discovering that Chipinge South Constituency suffered from confrontational-style partisan politics from previous elections. PYD believes that what came out of this discussion represents a pretty good synthesis of the views of the dialogue stakeholders.

The NCA party candidate, Takwaira Mupakati stated that the socio – economic formations in the community are not well defined hence the impunity of large scale investments of the form and nature of Greenfuel. He said that the problems bedevilling Chipinge South as a rural constituency is largely based on the way most political representatives have been operating. Mupakati claimed that the previous and current representatives have been operating at the level of political consciousness that only serve to arouse the anxiety of the people but offer little reprieve. He, however, said that NCA is coming in from the level intended to operate more concretely through a system of tangible results like addressing the long standing dispute with Greenfuel. Due to the nature of the country’s laws, large scale investments like Greenfuel thrive on dividing public opinion on what really entails social justice and investment in total disregard to the Communal Lands Act (Chapter 20:04). He also articulated a legal and policy framework that he believes can promote social cohesion and harmony within the community through creating sustainable development initiatives. In his parting note, Mupakati alluded to the fact that the bedrock of our crisis is the current constitution, which he strongly believes that it needs to be rewritten. The current constitution gives so much power to a president. This scenario creates room for political coercion against people and does not guarantee public influence over political decision makers.

Next to take to the podium was Clifford Hlatswayo of the MDC Alliance, and he outlined his action plan within the context of the party’s SMART manifesto. SMART is an acronym for ‘Sustainable and Modern Agenda for Real Transformation”. He acknowledged the fact that due to years of dereliction of duty by the authorities, the constituency was deprived of easy access to basic services. Hlatswayo is of the opinion that basic services enhance the quality of life of the people and increase their social and economic opportunities. He promised the electorate that he is geared up to implement the SMART manifesto in the most effective manner and to ensure maximum benefit to the constituency.

As an independent candidate, Kudakwashe Chiororo bemoaned the level of corruption that has greatly affected service delivery to the constituency. He promised to working with all residents and progressive groups in the constituency to fight corruption and poor service delivery. The point of departure for him is to prioritise the delivery of services at basic levels. Chiororo outlined his policy framework within which to leverage and marshal resources towards meeting the constituency’s development needs. This framework actively promotes an ethos of participation by all stakeholders through the process of determining and implementing service delivery options. 

The message from the floor was very clear that they want politics to be about service delivery as opposed to personal enrichment. The people put to the task the candidates and stated that they have suffered for years due to the lack of democratic accountability that has allowed arrogance and impunity to take root. It was again, resented to the candidates that the electorate want an MP who is truly answerable to them and who represents their views and interests. 

#MugangaWedu2018

Chipinge District Candidate Profile Series #8

Name: Canfred Pambuka Sithole

Party: National Constitutional Assembly (NCA)

Beliefs shape a person's socio – economic and political view and that affects their character, their treatment of issues and relationships. It is just one part of understanding a political candidate. Canfred Pambuka has been with the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) since its inception rising to be a key member of the organisation’s National Taskforce.

He was a representative of the residents in the National Taskforce and was responsible for educating them about their legal rights and obligations, and incorporating various residents’ views into one common vision. He has an understanding of the needs of the residents that involve social and economic upliftment, social justice and equal opportunities. During his tenure as the representatives of the residents, he worked with groups of residents from varied backgrounds and experiences. Canfred Pambuka derives his entire concept of service from his upbringing in an environment of staunchly held United Church of Christ faith views especially the cost and joy to be a trustworthy and honest servant in the service of people. With his experience in the national taskforce and his belief system, Pambuka is now of the strong opinion that this is the time to put what he has gained to the political test. 

Political office is a specific form of advocacy on socio – economic and political issues in order to bring about the much needed transformation of a community. Canfred Pambuka Sithole’s campaign is premised on solidarity and accountability to those on whose behalf he hopes to be given a representative mandate. He promises to identify and confront the structures that are causing injustice and suffering to the people of Musikavanhu Constituency. 

In Musikavanhu Constituency, the poor and the marginalised have grown to daunting levels. There is rampant unequal sharing of resources and a serious lack of political will among the previous and current representatives, a situation that has continued to stymie efforts to address hunger, poverty and underdevelopment. Years of successive drought have brought its toll on the local people. In the 2015/2016 season, Chipinge district saw 2000 cattle starving to death and the majority of them were in Musikavanhu Constituency. Livestock are an important asset in the community, helping improve the nutritional status of their owners and contributing to economic growth. 

In response to the numerous challenges bedeviling the constituency, Canfred Pambuka intends to organise a sustainable community development initiatives, cultivate social cohesion and promote participatory democracy. This he believe can be achieved through creating an environment where people are free of political intimidation, the erosion of economic inadequacies and the eradication of gender barriers. Pambuka believes that an ethical perspective is now needed in order to have a clear understanding of the magnitude of the challenges facing people in Musikavanhu constituency, and this ethical perspective is embodied in him being visible in the constituency.

His best impulse is to care about the disenfranchised members of the community and his values are on the adage that a society is responsible for its people. He hopes to create a caring society. This is in sharp contrast to what the traditional politicians in the area have been adopting as an approach where concern is more on control than caring, with devastating results of people becoming more dependent than empowered. The people in the constituency require political leadership that can institute genuine self-determination of the disempowered community. The current political narrative has produced an increasingly stratified community controlled by politicians who wield more power on the vulnerable community. The consequence of such a set-up is felt in the quality of their lives. 

In the context of sustainable community development, this issue is practically unexplored with respect to the political environment of community development. Therefore, this particular candidate profile series introduces and posits that the political environment is a necessary enabler for implementing sustainable community development. It becomes so important for political parties and their candidates to understand how residents' positive and negative perceptions of community development impacts in determining their satisfaction with life in the community.  The root causes of poverty in the constituency is associated to a number of factors, including inter alia the uncertainties related to the political narrative that creates high vulnerability and distress among the people. 

Canfred Pambuka (NCA) will battle it out against Pishai Muchauraya (Independent), Joshua Murire (Zanu PF), Simon Simango (PRC), Sifiso Sithole (MDC Alliance). 

PYD is urging all candidates to campaign in peace and subsequently vote in peace, for without peace there cannot be sustainable development. 

VP Chiwenga Politicking on Musikavanhu Constituency Challenges

On 18 July 2018, Chibuwe community was virtually brought to a standstill by the arrival of Vice President Rt General Constantino Chiwenga for a Zanu PF rally in Musikavanhu Constituency.  He was accompanied by Monica Mutsvangwa, the Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister, Enock Porusingazi the Zanu PF candidate for Chipinge South Constituency and Joshua Murire who is the Zanu PF candidate for Musikavanhu Constituency. The rally was organised with the sole purpose of drumming up support for Joshua Murire in the forthcoming harmonised elections slated for 30 July 2018. Schools in and around Chibuwe village had to be closed in order to allow the community attend the rally. It was glaringly evident that buses from as far as Mt Selinda and Matione were used to ferry party supporters to the rally.

As the keynote speaker at the rally, VP Chiwenga promised to immediately reconstruct the road between Tanganda and Checheche including the tributary roads as a response to the community outcry. The issue of the poor road network in the constituency has been a thorny issue for many years as the road is the only link between the constituency and the other areas like Chiredzi, Birchenough Bridge, Mutare and other big cities. The community is unfazed by promises made in the heat of an election campaign but that can be easily forgotten in the comfort of power, and it is urging Zanu PF to move beyond podium rhetoric and get into practical action. The road has been in this deplorable state from a combination of factors that include neglect, abuse from Greenfuel trucks and the use of gravel of decreasing quality for both road construction and maintenance. An issue of Greenfule was not even mentioned by the Vice President, as the establishment has caused innumerable damage to the road and also is a source of communal conflict. The Vice President need to be reminded that efficient rural road network is crucial in addressing issues of poverty and community isolation from other areas and in promoting economic growth. In Musikavanhu Constituency, the community has been suffering immensely from an inefficient and unsafe road network that had adverse effects on their livelihoods and the development of agriculture. As a community based organisation, PYD is reminding VP Chiwenga that his government launched the National Transport Policy on 15 April 2013, and since that time we are yet to witness a specific policy approach to rural road network. The pronouncements by VP Chiwenga lack seriousness and genuineness. 

At the same rally, VP Chiwenga alluded to the idea that the government will erect a security fence so that wildlife from surrounding conservation areas will not be destroying crops belonging to local villagers as well as cause death and injury to the general populace in the area.  True, wildlife has been wreaking havoc and causing destruction to crops, livestock, infrastructure and human lives but it is important for the Vice President to get a clear picture of the kind of farmers being affected in this ensuing human-wildlife conflict. The farmers in the Sabi Valley of the Chipinge District that are susceptible to constant attack from marauding wildlife are the poorest of the poor. Vice President Chiwenga needs to go beyond using poor communal people’s anxiety for political votes and mileage. The problem goes beyond a security fence as there is need to compensate the victims of human wildlife conflict. As PYD, we have witnessed a fragmented approach to the whole issue by governmental departments, an attitude that does not adequately provide the much needed assistance to the victims. In March of 2018, Minister Muchinguri – Kashiri again promised that they will be compensation for injuries sustained during attacks, loss of property and loss of agricultural produce. The community that VP Chiwenga addressed is yet to witness a disbursement of the compensation from what the minister said will derive from a special fund. Again, PYD is urging the Vice President to adequately address the issue of under reporting that is currently unfolding in the Sabi Valley. Information gathering, record keeping and reporting needs to be greatly improved. 

PYD is urging politicians to go beyond the podium rhetoric and offer real and practical solutions to the challenges that local communities are currently facing.

#MugangaWedu2018

Chipinge District Candidate Profile Series #7

Musikavanhu Constituency

Name: Pishai Muchauraya

Party: Independent

Pishai Mucharaya is not a novice in Zimababwean politics as he was once a Member of the House of the National Assembly for Makoni South and MDC T Secretary for Information and Publicity for Manicaland Province. In 2008, he polled 14072 votes in Makoni South, a feat he failed to repeat in the 2013 harmonised elections where he garnered a paltry 5092 against 10268 votes for Mandiitawepi  Chimene. Internal strife in the MDC T party intensified after the 2013 harmonised elections and reached boiling point when Pishai together with his provincial chairperson were suspended from the party. He and the other suspended members formed People’s Democratic Party (PDP).  He spent three (3) years in political dissipation. He found a new lease of political life when his principal Tendai Biti joined the MDC Alliance, and he did not waste time but declared his interests in Musikavanhu Constituency. The constituency was initially earmarked to hold primary elections pitting him with the young and energetic Macmillan Rimbi. The primary elections were to be a useful tool to prove whether he still has the political shrewdness needed to navigate the political terrain of campaigning. The primary elections were ultimately shelved as they appeared to be on the verge of being messy and nasty. The MDC Alliance then made a decision to allocate the seat to another alliance party, Zanu Ndonga.

Pishai Muchauraya then filed his papers with ZEC as an independent candidate. As an independent candidate, he has an enviable task of getting the electorate mind saturated with his own views and ideas against a trend where party views normally flood the political terrain. Nevertheless, he is of the view that party politics can undermine public sentiments and he will prove beyond reasonable doubt that he has an independent mind and can take decisions on merit that are not swayed by party positions. 

Musikavanhu is a predominantly rural constituency and its residents survive on subsistence farming. There are 7 health centres, 22 primary schools and 7 secondary schools in the constituency. 3 schools offer up to A Level education. The voter population of the constituency appear to be fluctuating every election period as in 2008 there 25982 and in 2013 it had a total of 27697 whereas there are only 19377 voters who managed to register during the biometric voter registration exercise. The constituency had 28 polling stations in 2013 but the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has set up an additional 3 polling stations to make them a total of 31 polling stations.

The constituency is a rather typical horticultural centre. Unless steps are taken to render the enormous undeveloped resources of the Save River, the constituency is doomed to remain a centre of food insecurity, high levels of poverty and underdevelopment. The constituency has seen the emergence of a political class that is perceived to be somehow distinct and separate from the rest of society. Pishai has to project himself as an individual not bent on a political career but rather as a person being driven by the interests of the constituency if he is to salvage any substantial votes in this election. Small scale farmers at Musikavanhu Irrigation Scheme have been constantly bemoaning a subdued market for their produce. These small scale farmers produce a huge tonnage of sweet beans, bananas and tomatoes but the market is failing to enable them recoup investments and in turn ensure profitability of the venture. The constituency has had representation that was more focused on what was happening in the corridors of power and not the struggling peasant communities that actually hold the sway of the vote and are battling to make ends meet. As an independent, Pishai Muchauraya has an opportunity to look a these issues and more and provide solutions that can genuinely transform people’s lives.

Pishai Michauraya will battle it out against Joshua Murire (Zanu PF), Simon Simango (PRC), Canfred Pambuka (NCA) and Sifiso Sithole (MDC Alliance). 

PYD Director on CORAHFm

https/www.facebook.com/corahfm/videos/2194470533913703/?notif_id=1531738886956868&notif_t=live_video_explicit

Serious Violations of Occupational, Safety and Health Regulations at Green fuel

The occupational safety and health management system of an organization is the responsibility of the employer and in this case, we refer to Green fuel. The system has to be in compliance with the national regulatory framework. The occupational safety and health system is to ensure that all workplace facilities, installations, equipment and machinery comply with laid down statutory provisions. Safety and health awareness is critical at an establishment like Green fuel, but the situation unfolding on the ground is a tendency to be more worried about producing and selling with utter disregard to the inherent risks associated with their operations. Green fuel need to know and understand that occupational health and safety is an act that protects all people within the workplace and need to be taken serious as it involves the life of the person and it can affect the business negatively. Platform for Youth Development learns with great shock the demise of Lovemore Mthombeni under circumstances that are preventable. 

On 14 July 2018, at around 0300 hours Lovemore Mthombeni (38)  could not be located at his workstation where he was responsible for recording the number of loaded trucks and in the process issuing receipts to the truck drivers. It is not clear on what happened to Lovemore Mthombeni, as the only evidence of what could have transpired is derived from some blood stains on the harvester conveyor belt.  The impact of this fatal occupational injury is, however, compounded by the fact that it happened to an individual who still had a long working career ahead of him. This particular incident was caused by preventable factors which could be eliminated by implementing known measures. Harvesters are driven into the cane field and they cut, thresh and clean the chaff all by themselves using rotating blades. Operating a harvester machine requires knowledge and competence, and the competencies consist of an ability of operating at night and performing multiple tasks. PYD is saddened by lack of company’s remorse on the whole issue. Greenfuel Company failed to follow simple safety and health procedures that require it to report both to the police and the National Social Security Authority. The National Social Security Authority sends an inspector to the scene of the accident and conduct an industrial investigation upon receipt of a report. The company failed to adhere to this important aspect of the safety and health regulations. It is again sad to note that the police received a report from an employee by the name Warren Musiwaro and not the company.

This is not the first time Greenfuel is embroiled in actions that led to fatalities. In June of 2016, Itai Chikwasha Matevera reportedly died of a gunshot on his chest while two others, Jairos Simango Mapopo and Mavis Nyamunda sustained severe wounds from the gunshots on the upper nose and palm, respectively. This is after a security guard with Greenfuel opened fire on these villagers. The company always bank on such incidents on the pretext of them being dispersed and socially invisible. The cycle of neglect continue to grow from low priority by Greenfuel through to under-reporting and a consequent lack of commitment to safety and health regulations. 

Circumstances leading to the death of Mthombeni are still fresh and traumatising therefore PYD  urges the community to be calm as thorough investigation on what happened are being unearthed.

Chipinge District Candidate Profile Series #6

Name: Robert Mhlanga 

Party: National Constitutional Assembly (NCA)

Robert Mhlanga is a native of Chipinge West and has worked with NCA since 1999 when it was still a civic organisation. Coincidentally, he was a student leader at the University of Zimbabwe when the MDC was formed in 1999 and that is when his political career was launched. Robert Mhlanga is an educationist by profession, evangelist by God’s grace and a motivational speaker by passion. He is very passion about genuine socio – economic development and he feel strongly that Chipinge West lagged behind in development due to dereliction of duty by past political representatives of the area. A narrow view of community development has been constructed by these politicians in order to facilitate a false sense of being the solution. There are 25 primary schools and 10 secondary schools in the constituency with a teacher pupil ratio of 40:1 at primary level. There are only 3 schools that offer up to A Level. At the same time, there are 8 health centres in the constituency with at least 2 nurses at a clinic. Nevertheless, the constituency faces a challenge of classroom blocks, and also the numerous number of school drop outs due to failure to pay school fees and teenage pregnancy.

In Chipinge West Constituency, neither of the two main lines of political ideology brought significant solutions to the challenges of rampant poverty, school dropouts and lack of adequate health provision. The NCA party comes from a different background and is moving toward a different political narrative to the long-time existing political formations. Zanu PF ideology dominated the early years of independence and it came to the prime in the late 1990’s. In its extreme form, it was transformed into an agnostic anger towards what it perceived as enemies. Most people in the constituency have lost any justification in attaching this ideology to the communal socio – economic and political trends and aspirations. They are tired and are very much apprehensive as they contemplate moving toward a third ideological framework. The two dominant political ideologies in the recent past reflect apparently contradictory ways of looking at socio –economic development in the constituency. 

Robert Mhlanga’s political narrative is the breaking away from the old political adage of ideological turf wars at the expense of meaningful development.  The two political paradigms are no longer adequate to confront a plethora of challenges unfolding in the constituency. Zanu Pf is seized with the retention of power by any means necessary whereas the MDC formations at the very moment when this new ideology was announced, it was also breaking apart as can be witnessed by various nasty factional fights. This reflects their inadequacy and the subsequent reaching out for a political alternative. The comparative value of these ideologies is apparent in their failures, faults and ludicrous shortcomings. The NCA is positioning itself as a possible alternative. It derives from the experience of a people who were advocating for constitutionalism and democracy, and deals with the derivation in a very concrete people centred terms. It is evident that most perceptive people in Chipinge West are suffering from an anxious sense of something lost, a sense too of being displaced persons in the matrix of the political ideologies.

As far as political activism is concerned, Robert Mhlanga has with equal acuteness and clearness pointed out the process by which development will be effected. He strongly believes in people centred approaches to community development. In this election, Robert Mhlanga hopes to swing the voter pendulum to his side as conditions in the constituency are sufficiently inflammatory to create a new political paradigm. The conditions under which children, women and youths toil in the constituency are unimaginably brutal and need a new political narrative that can profer solutions. Zanu PF and the MDC formations appear to regard themselves as innocent of blame for such conditions for they are imbedded in the political rhetoric of sanctions and bad governance. However, one remarkable feature in this present condition of affairs in Chipinge West is that no politician pretends to be able to point out any remedy. Robert Mhlanga believes that he has the remedy.