The MP for the area is Piniel Denga and the Constituency covers two wards, Ward 3 and 4.
It covers areas that include Magaba, Jo’burg Lines, Matererini Flats, Matapi Flats, Chishawasha Flats, Mbare Flats, Nenyere Flats, and the main bus termini up to Rufaro Stadium.
Mbare is one of the most politically volatile areas in Harare with a high degree of political intolerance and the persecution of perceived opponents of Zanu PF by a militia youth group Chipangano, which is allegedly aligned to the former sole ruling party.
What the people said about their MP Father Oscar Wermter (St Peters Catholic Church):
Well, there have been some projects going on, but the problem is that at times the welfare of the people is being sacrificed for party political purposes.
However, I feel the major areas that need to be addressed include accommodation and sanitation. If you look at the hostels, they are in a deplorable state.
Unemployment of the youths is one other challenge that needs to be addressed. People need to be empowered to start their own projects. Here (at ST Peters Catholic Church), we have some projects to assist the local community, but we believe if the MP can put us in touch with NGOs that are willing to assist, then it could help us greatly. We have plenty of social projects that need assistance.
Tinashe Mawutsa (Trader at Magaba market): The MP has tried to initiate some very good projects in this area, but the problem is the projects are being vandalised by his political opponents.
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Each time he comes here, he is chased away and this makes it hard for him to implement his projects some of which are now lying idle.
To tell you the truth, we do not often see him here, but I don’t think it’s his fault since some people have decided to bar him from the constituency. Cecil Maguranyanga (Shop Operator at Mbare Musika termini)
It’s hard for us to judge our MP because, as you might be aware, there are some powerful youth leaders here who have declared Mbare a no go area for their own MP.
However, there was a time when he used to come and visit people, especially in the hostels and I remember at one time he assisted with paint and plumbing material to help with refurbishment work.
That has since stopped because he has been barred from coming here.
Sharon Kagoro (Trader at Mupedzanhamo Market): Personally, I do not even know who the MP you are talking about is.
Often we get Zanu PF guys addressing us here, but we have never seen him coming to hear our plight or address our concerns.
On the issue of projects, we have seen some boreholes being drilled, but we do not know who exactly is behind the projects.
Whether it’s the MP or someone else, I feel a lot more needs to be done to address the welfare of the people in Mbare.
Merit Marongwe (Mbare Flats resident):
There was a time when we used to see him (the MP) around, but it has now changed. At one time he was assaulted here and for that we can give him the benefit of the doubt for not coming.
However, even if he doesn’t come I think he should find alternative means to try to address the plight of the people in his constituency.
The problems facing Mbare are well known to everyone and one doesn’t necessarily need to come here to be able to address them.
Response by the MP
We used our Constituency Development Fund allocation to address water and sanitation problems that people in my constituency face. We drilled three boreholes in Ward 3 and we also drilled three others in Ward 4.
We also embarked on a renovation exercise in such areas as Nenyere and Mbare flats where we built communal showers as well as sinks.
We also bought plumbing material that was used in these places, but most of the material has been vandalised.
The biggest problem is that most of these projects are being vandalised by some rowdy Chipangano youths.
For example, we wanted to drill a borehole that was supposed to cater for the New Lines and Mbare Police Station, but the project was vandalised and the people who had been sent to repair the borehole were chased away.
There was also a time when I would visit people in the flats with the aim of carrying out a refurbishment exercise, but all that was blocked following threats by Chipangano members who at one time assaulted me during a visit to Mbare Flats.
They would like to stop any development associated with the MDC-T and as a result, the people are being made to suffer.
