Ngome has big plans for Mutare South

Nyore Madzianike Senior Reporter—

WHEN aspiring Zanu-PF candidate for Mutare South Cde Jefrey Ngome pronounced his arrival in the constituency, many treated him as a stranger who wanted to ride on the fortunes of the new political dispensation.But it is a different tale for Cde Ngome who believes has a very critical role to play in developing his home area into an epitome of development.Cde Ngome believes now is the time to plough back into his community after decades of working outside his province and home area.

After amassing vast experience in leadership skills from positions he held in Zanu-PF and organisations he worked for in Kwekwe, Cde Ngome is now using all the experience to develop Mutare South.

He promised to turn the constituency into a template for various projects and silence critics who deride him as an opportunist riding on the fortunes of the new dispensation.

“I belong to Mutare South. I was born and bred in Mambwere, in Mutare South. I did my education in Mutare South and only left in the early 1990s in search for employment in Kwekwe, where I have been working over the years. I worked for various organisations ending up venturing into the mining industry while pursuing my political career as a Zanu PF cadre,” he said.

Cde Ngome said he rose within the ranks of Zanu-PF structures and ended up chairing the youths league indiginisation department.

“My parents participated as Chimbwido and Mujibha during the struggle. It then gave me a drive to pursue political activities. With the new dispensation I was meant to see new opportunities, this time in my home area. I was a party member holding various positions in youth league and chaired the indiginisation department in the process. After realising the opportunity of serving my home area in Mutare South, I came and contested during the primary elections and won,” he said.

Cde Ngome said he was touched by the poor level of development in his home.

This left him with no option, but to commit his time and resources towards infrastructural development.

He said his vision was to change the livelihoods of people of Mutare South, which he said have been neglected for a long time.

“From the time I started campaigning, I moved around the whole constituency and realised that there is a lot of work that needs to be done. I discovered that each political district in Mutare South has problems which need to be addressed. I want to turn Mutare South into an epitome of development and serve as a template of projects and development,” he said.

Cde Ngome has since lined up a multiplicity of projects across the constituency, some of which are already at an advanced stage.

“We do not have time to waste. People here need to be at par with economic trends in the country and it is our duty as children from this community to develop our area. It is my duty as well to make sure that this constituency trends surpass those in other constituencies in terms of development,” he said.

“I have lined up a multiplicity of projects in agriculture where we have identified numerous nutrition gardens. Schools should have well resourced classrooms, laboratories and libraries. We want to build clinics, dip tanks  and we will be partnered by various development partners, all in a bid to develop our community,” he said.

As part of his developmental drive, Cde Ngome has come to the rescue of more than 700 families from six villagers by constructing a bridge across Murowa River in Chitiyo Village.

The bridge connects the villages to Mutare main road.

In the same village, Cde Ngome has also committed resources for the construction of Gandayi Clinic.

“We have since dispatched a team with building materials for the construction of a clinic at Gandayi. In fact, work has since commenced. The community there has been travelling long distances to access health services,” he said.

Cde Ngome also committed his resources towards the rehabilitation of Mutsiyabako and Mambwere-Chitora roads alongside the Mutare Rural District Council. The roads have been impassible over the years.

“There is a bulldozer which is already on the ground working on the road. The people from Mutsiyabako had difficulties in connecting with the rest of district because of the poor state of that road. There is need to enhance linkage between Mutsiyabako and the rest of the constituency.

“The settlement is vibrant, but could not commercialise their activities due to poor state of roads. They had serious difficulties in trading their agricultural produce as there was no road linking them to the main road and markets,” he said.

Cde Ngome is also working towards securitisation of Nyachowa Falls along Nyachowa river in Chogodora.

“We have one of the natural wonders which has been neglected over the years. It was last fenced during the colonial era and nothing has been done to sustain it. Nyachowa Falls are second to Mutarazi Falls in Nyanga. I have bought a fence and building materials to set up an office where tourists would make their payments. The revenue will be ploughed back to community,” he said.

Cde Ngome said he plans to resuscitate an irrigation scheme along Nyachowa river.

“There is an irrigation scheme around the Nyachowa Falls and my aim is to revamp it. The canals have been abandoned and we want to refurbish and utilise them to change the lives of people living,” he said.

He said partnered the veterinary department to resuscitate diary projects in Himalaya.

Cde Ngome is also working towards the revamping of Chipendeke Hydro Power Station.