Glen View North is a highly-populated constituency, and is one of the residential areas in Harare where most people are engaged in self-help projects like carpentry and welding due to high unemployment.
By KUDZAI MUCHENJEKWA
Glen View is one of the politically volatile areas in the country to the extent that as the journalist interviewed people in different areas about their MP, Fani Munengami, he received threats from some people, accusing him of being a spy.
Problems in the constituency which the MP can highlight during Parliament question time
Lack of stands for SMEs — (Minister of Women and Youth)
Dilapidated road infrastructure — (Transport minister)
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Housing problems — (Local Government minister)
High unemployment rate — (Labour ministry)
Performance of the MP in the National Assembly
Munengami is one of the very active MPs in terms of contributing to debate in the National Assembly and in committees which he sits, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health, the Mines and Energy Committee and the Education, Sports and Culture Committee.
He has raised very difficult questions for ministers and other top government and public officials whenever they appear before parliamentary committees.
He has asked several topical questions to ministers during question and answer sessions on issues that affect the people. What people said about their MP
Bvumai Mhurukuru
I know the MP, but I think that he normally addresses people from his own political party whenever he visits the shopping centre. He assists people here and there, especially at funerals.
One thing I know is that if you ask for assistance, he will help you. The problems we want him to address in our constituency are water challenges and the lack of toilets at the shopping complex.
Terrence Chigwa
I know the MP, and he is a man who does everything in his power to help. With the bad economic situation in Zimbabwe, we cannot expect him to take care of everyone’s needs, but he is active and he provides assistance to the people.
I saw him once live on TV in Parliament and on that day, he was very active and I liked it. He is good in some areas and not so good in others. We are human beings and we have our flaws.
Prisca Nhanga
I know the MP because he is always coming to Tichagarika shopping centre, where he visits youths and some of the people he knows.
I have not attended Parliament sessions and so I would not know if he is active or not.
As women, we want the MP to fix the toilets at Tichagarika complex, where we operate from.
We also want him to ensure we have proper stands here at Tichagarika shopping centre, so that we do not get threatened by the council.
Richard Rusere (52)
I don’t really know the MP. I have not seen him in person. I think that he is passive.
He needs to interact more with the residents. We have problems with water, we rarely have the precious liquid and when it comes, it goes quickly.
Yvonne Kutare
I do not know him as such, but I saw him once. As youth, we want the MP to give us jobs because many of the youth spend the whole day sitting at the shopping centre and at the end of the day, they end up stealing or going into prostitution, which is not good.
So we ask the MP to introduce projects for us, so that we do not end up doing things we will regret in the future.
Response by the MP
I really understand the concerns of the residents in my constituency and issues they have raised.
Nevertheless concerning the issue to do with water in Ward 30, we have tried to drill boreholes which have been vandalised, and as soon as we get the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), we want to repair those boreholes so that the residents get easy access to water.
The Environment ministry also promised to help with the issue of boreholes, and so this is in the pipe line.
I try by all means to meet the public every month, at least once. However, the challenge we face is that the general public do not attend these meetings because they associate them with politics, of which it’s not the case.
Not only do I meet people at these meetings, but I also go into churches and meet with businesspeople, so that we find solutions to make our constituency better.
In Parliament, I have raised several issues affecting my constituency, which include water problems and bad roads.
I always speak out all the concerns of the constituency and this is something that I always do because I have the concerns of the people at heart.
Major roads in my constituency have been repaired and we are also planning to place humps on these roads so as to protect children in the Glen View North constituency. I have introduced several projects in my constituency and these include electrification of Glen View 3 High School, construction of a computer lab at Glen View High 2, drilling of boreholes, and also, we have helped in the electrification of Glen View 7 Extension.
As soon as we get the CDF, we intend to build a footbridge between Glen View and Glen Norah after we noticed that school children find it difficult to cross the river. This has become one of our priorities.
Our other priority is to help in schools, especially the buying of computers, and refurbishment of blocks. We also want to give some funds to the community, so that they start their projects.
Education-wise, my constituency is one of the best in the country. As a matter of fact, two schools in my constituency, which are GlenView 2 Primary School and GlenView 2 High School, won the Bell Secretary Award in the primary and secondary schools category.
This proves that we, as a constituency, are really supporting our children and we want them to get the best in life.