Villagers in Hawickdale resettlement area in Mushandike, 30km west of Masvingo, have called on government to construct a clinic in their community as they are forced to walk a distance of about 20km to the nearest medical facility.
BY REGIS CHINGAWO
The resettlement area sprung in 2000 at the height of government’s controversial land reform programme. Over 500 families are staying in the area.
Speaking to NewsDay, the villagers said apart from walking 20km to the nearest clinic at Zvamahande business centre, pupils were also walking 15km to the nearest secondary school in Mashava, while water for domestic use was being fetched 10km away.
“Life is very unbearable here. The nearest clinic is 20km away at Zvemahande and the situation becomes problematic for pregnant women, who have to walk or use scotch carts as roads here are not suitable for vehicles,” one of the villagers, Jeffery Mhoka, said.
“Since we were resettled here, not a single secondary school was constructed and pupils have to walk 15km to Bere or Temeraire secondary schools in Mashava. A thatched satellite primary school constructed here cannot cater for the increasing number of puplis.”
Another villager, Mary Muzenda, said the nearest borehole was at Maponga Farm, 10km away, while criminal cases have to be reported at Mashava Police Station, 15km away.
“The area here is arid and dry and to source water for domestic use, we have to walk for 10km. Our councillor promised that the issue of water would be addressed, but up to now, nothing has been done. We need a new secondary school, new clinic, a readily available water source and, at least, a satellite police station to alleviate us from this suffering,” she said.
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Zanu PF councillor for the area, Petros Mutema, could not be reached for a comment.
