Chitungwiza North is a constituency on the northern side of the dormitory town of Chitungwiza consisting mainly of high-density residential suburbs in Chitungwiza’s Seke area. By population, the constituency houses low-income earners with a remarkable figure of unemployed youths, while other people are in the informal sector. Parly spotlight with Tinotenda Munyukwi
Issues that the MP can raise in Parliament as questions:
Land barons who parcel out illegal stands — (Local Government ministry) Water shortages and burst sewers — (Local Government and Environment ministries) Unemployment — (Labour ministry) Stands for small and medium enterprises — (Women, Youth and SMEs ministry)
Performance of the MP in Parliament
Godfrey Sithole (MDC-T) has managed to play his representative role well in the National Assembly where he is quite active and vocal and has raised quite a number of issues. He is one of the few legislators who raised questions to push for electoral law reforms. He is also one of the MPs who pushed for serious consideration to be taken on former President Robert Mugabe’s retirement on the basis of his age. Sithole is a young MP and his contributions in Parliament have proven that he can be a strong future leader.
What people said about their MP
Chiedza Mabika, 40, Unit C extension
He has come to our church once to engage the citizens and we know him. But I must say this constituency has water problems and we hope that this is addressed by the MP even with the drilling of boreholes.
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Bezel Nyakunda-27, Unit A
We know him yes, but in Parliament we want him to raise the voices of the youths who are unemployed here in Chitungwiza, and whose number is probably more than anywhere else in Zimbabwe. Just go to C Junction and you will see for yourself the number of youths just hanging around doing nothing.
Brian Tumbura (25) Unit C
I do not know him, and I have never seen him anywhere. We just know that this area was won by MDC-T, but who the actual MP is, I really don’t know. We have problems especially with these land barons because right now all wetlands in this area are infested with illegal stands and we do not know what the MP is doing about that.
Bertha Mavhaire (30) Unit K
I am not sure who the MP is, I am not much into politics, but I can tell you that there is a lot that needs to be done here, just go up the road and you will see the sewage bursts and you wonder if we have any people representing us at all. Dexter Mashonganyika (27)
He is a youthful MP and this is what we are looking for. We know him and he has always come back to us as the electorate. He has moved around several churches in this constituency and we have seen him contribute in Parliament. The problems affecting us are affecting the whole nation and I think it will be unfair to criticise our MP based on something that is beyond his control.
MP’s response.
I sit on the Public Accounts Committee and the Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement committees.
The issues of land barons is something that has remained as a point of concern for a long time, and I can tell you that I have met with residents associations together with residents so that we can deliberate on the way forward on the issue. I even took it to Parliament during the days of former Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere and I hope that with the new minister [July Moyo], he can solve this issue because we all know who the land barons are and they should be brought to book for manipulating desperate home seekers.
For feedback to my constituency I have used Facebook, I visit a certain church within my constituency every week, I hold meetings with residents associations, I have an electronic flier and I do attend special events in schools dotted around my constituency just to get back to the electorate.
On the issue of water, indeed this is an ongoing problem, but what we are doing is to engage non-governmental organisations and also we have engaged the Ministry of Water in order to find ways in which we can drill adequate boreholes for the whole constituency. I am looking forward to the Constituency Development Fund and I am hoping that this money can also be channelled towards the drilling of boreholes.
On projects, I am currently running various poultry projects within my constituency so that I can help empower people and I have tried by all means to reach various government institutions so that they provide employment whenever they can, especially to the youth of my constituency.
On important debates in Parliament, many people would recall how I have raised my voice on potholes and recently how I questioned the lack of government priorities on a point of privilege to the Speaker of Parliament with regards to the celebration of Mugabe’s birthday.
