eBusiness Weekly
Africa Moyo recently in HWANGE
Some constituencies in Matabeleland North province, mainly in Binga District, have been grabbed in recently elections by the opposition MDC-T and the development has been attributed to donors who donated some food handouts for the people in this part of the country.
However, Zanu-PF has been gaining ground in recent years and more seats have been won by the revolutionary party on the back of its pro-people policies that empower majority of Zimbabweans economically.
In Hwange, businessman Reeds Dube, who won Zanu-PF primaries to represent the party in July 30 elections does not easily give up.
Perhaps that is why his businesses still thrive.
Dube is popular among many people in the coal mining town for his philanthropy and generosity.
He supports almost everyone; the youths, the elderly and disadvantaged.
He has adopted a policy of ploughing back into the community that has been supporting his business for a long time.
Probably the biggest beneficiaries of Dube’s largess have been sports people.
Dube has a soccer tournament for Matabeleland North teams named after him, which has become the conveyor belt of sporting talent, particularly for rural athletes.
Last year, the Reeds Dube tournament ran for the second year running.
Apart from the tournament, Dube donates soccer balls to various parts of the province in a bid to grow the sport.
Indeed, this empowerment, is different from food handout from donors.
Now, Dube wants a second bite of the cherry in the July 30, 2018 polls when he squares off against MDC Alliance candidate Fortune Mguni, a pro-democracy activist, for the right to represent Hwange Central in the National Assembly.
The constituency has been in the hands of MDC-T since 2000.
In 2013, Dube lost his bid to represent the constituency to incumbent, Honourable Brian Tshuma.
Dube believes there has been a massive change in circumstances, which should tilt the pendulum in his favour.
He is already working on a number of small projects across the constituency particularly for youths.
A small committee, whose members are made up of people from the constituency to ensure the needs of people are attended, has been set up.
“We are trying to work on setting up some projects in the constituency. The projects will benefit everyone, but will be mainly focused on youths,” said Dube.
“The nature of the project would be determined by the people in the wards because we don’t want to impose such projects on people.
“They tell us what to do and we work on that; that is the only way forward.”
Apart from the projects, Dube plans to establish the challenges bedevilling his constituency and do everything in his power to address them.
Chief among the challenges is the Hwange Colliery Company Limited’s salary arrears with employees.
The company had gone for almost 20 months without paying employee salaries, prompting their wives to stage demonstrations that went on for months.
The women were protesting despite the existence of an agreement entered into between the company and its employees under the Scheme of Arrangement approved in April last year.
Dube conceded that he has heard of the agreement entered into between the company and employees, but highlighted that he does “not have the finer details”.
“We will also engage the Government so that we see if they can assist in paying employee salaries to ensure that everyone has their money on time.
“There is also the issue of a salary increment awarded to Zesa employees. What we have been told is that despite that increment, the workers are not getting the improved salaries so I want to engage the Minister (of Energy and Power Development) to ensure that they are paid,” said Dube.
School supplementary feeding scheme
Government introduced a schools feeding programme at schools to ensure that no child, mainly those from poor families, go without food to the extent of affecting their learning ability.
While the school children are getting the food, schools in Hwange Central have no shelter from which to make the food.
This has seen food being prepared in the open.
But Dube wants to put a stop to this by erecting structures where the food would be prepared.
“I have already managed to source about 40 bags of cement for the construction of shelters at four schools in the constituency.
“I know they are not enough but for now we want to donate at least 10 bags at four schools so that they can construct the shades. There is a committee that I am working with so that this project is as transparent as possible.”
Jobs for locals
There is simmering discontent in Hwange, probably just like in Marange, over failure by locals to get jobs at companies operating in the area.
Dube says he has received complaints from youths who claim to be sidelined when it comes to employment at local firms.
He plans to engage the companies to find a lasting solution so that people from other provinces don’t take up all jobs, particularly those requiring few skills.
“We will engage local companies so that they employ local youths. There is need to ensure the youths get jobs so that we remove them from the streets where they end up resorting to drugs,” said Dube.
Some residents claim that the companies are operating as they please, considering that they have not contributed to the Community Share Ownership Trusts, despite “having the capacity”.
Call to vote for the best person
With 51 days before the elections, Dube is calling upon voters to entrust the best person with their votes. He said the time when people voted for a political party even if it does not deliver, are over.
This seemed to be a thinly veiled attack on the MDC-T which has proven to be popular among urban voters, notwithstanding the deteriorating service delivery.
“. . . what I want to say is that our people should not look at a political party when voting. They must look for people who have potential to help them.
“Is it the party or person that works? People should focus on the person because looking at political parties will mislead them,” he said.
Political analysts have posited that many people will vote ZANU-PF for the first time since 2000 given a refreshing transformation of its policies by President Mnangagwa.
Previously, the ZANU-PF led by former President Robert Mugabe was believed to be steeped in the past and insensitive to the immediate needs of the people who were confronting joblessness in an imploding economy.
President Mnangagwa has since changed the environment climate by tweaking the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act which required all foreign-owned firms to sell 51 percent shareholding to locals.
That requirement now remains in the diamond and platinum mining companies but that could be changed once Government concludes the Diamond and Platinum Policies.
