This is a constituency with a high number of living quarters for security forces like the Zimbabwe Republic Police and Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services department, such as Tomlison Depot and Chikurubi.
By TINOTENDA MUNYUKWI
The constituency also includes upmarket suburbs in Harare such as Borrowdale, Chisipite and Chishawasha Hills. Most residents in the constituency are rich and educated people.
Issues that the MP could raise as questions in Parliament
Issue of potholes defacing the image of the suburb — Local Government minister
Squatter camps sprouting near the rich suburbs — Local Government minister
Water problems — Environment and Water minister
Problem of thieves — Home Affairs minister
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Performance of the MP in the National Assembly
Although Mukupe is well-known mostly for the bad reasons, he has been participating well in Parliament activities.
Mukupe is one of the Zanu PF legislators, who have been contributing to debates on budget and financial issues.
However, his record was soiled by notoriety. Last year, Mukupe hit the media headlines when fellow Zanu PF MP Lawrence Katsiru reported him to the Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda saying that he had threatened to kill him (Katsiru) in the House.
Recently, he hit the media headlines again when he allegedly beat up an accountant in the Finance ministry for allocating him an allowance which he said was too little. Mukupe is the Finance deputy minister.
What people said about their MP
Chipo Masiyiwa (22) of Chisipite
Our MP has brought visible change. Just look at our newly resurfaced roads. Given the circumstances bedevilling this country, the MP is doing the best he can and I believe he should be applauded. Mind you, he only came into office in 2014, and given the rate at which we are progressing, I think this is the best that could happen.
Ruvimbo Matekairi (26) of Greendale
I know our MP Mukupe. However, I am not sure if he conducts any feedback meetings in the constituency because I have never received such information.
I think he should put posters or fliers to inform constituents about such meetings so that we could attend.
We do see roads being resurfaced, for instance Arcturus road, but then the process is still ongoing and some of them are still dusty. But the overall picture is good because there are some positives happening within our constituency.
Knowledge Chiweshe (25) of Athlone
He is my MP and I have only heard of feedback meetings on very rare occasions. I can vouch for him that he has been contributing in Parliament. I have witnessed that on television.
Tatenda Zvamaita (33) of Newlands
We have an MP in the person of Terrence Mukupe, but we are facing several challenges, which include recurrent water cuts, a surge in the number of illegal dumpsites because of poor refuse collection, and I think as our MP, he can also assist in mobilising the community so that we find temporary solutions to the many potholes on our roads.
Leonard Kambarami (43) Athlone
Mukupe should do something and engage the authorities about escalating cases of theft and robbery at hotspots such as Harare Drive and Arcturus Road.
I believe that as the leader of this community, the MP can work with the neighbourhood patrols at night to combat crime.
Using Constituency Development Fund, the MP should ensure all these dysfunctional street lights are repaired, because it could go a long way in ridding the constituency of thieves.
Mukupe’s response
I have done everything I can to try and push the legislative agenda, which had been entrusted in me by my constituency.
As you all know, I have played a central role in some important debates in Parliament, making sure that the voice of Harare East is heard.
For instance, the Corporate Governance Bill is one area in which I was instrumental in making sure that it sails through both houses including the Senate.
You can also recall the issue with the Auditor-General, Mildred Chiri, where I was part of those MPs that pushed for her retention as AG.
On the issue of theft that the people were raising, this has been an issue which I am quite aware of and, as part of my efforts to combat it, I engaged the police.
However, we have also gone a step further by capacitating the neighbourhood watch to form volunteer patrols.
On the issue of service delivery, as a constituency, we have been paying rates to council, but the services we have been receiving have been poor and council is letting us down.
For the roads, I am glad the people confirmed that roads such as Harare Drive, Enterprise and Greendale Avenue have been improved.
In the whole of Harare, I think we are the constituency that has been fortunate enough to be improved in that area and this is out of our collective efforts with me as the sitting MP pushing the Zimbabwe National Road Administration.
For the feedback meetings to my constituency, we established a constituency office in the central business district and we found out that people were having difficulties in visiting it in order to raise any queries they had. We then opened another constituency office at Athlone shops, which is always open.
I have also engaged citizens through town hall meetings in which I invite residents’ associations, the council and the police, among other officials, so that they respond to the residents pleas.
