Mthuli intensifies election campaign in Cowdray Park
TENDAI BHEBE IN BULAWAYO
The governing party, ZANU-PF’s candidate for Cowdray Park constituency in Bulawayo, Mthuli Ncube, has intensified his election campaign by embarking on infrastructure development projects, training programmes for youths and rehabilitation of roads.
Cowdray Park suburb has over 75 000 residents, making it the second-largest suburb in Zimbabwe after Budiriro in Harare.
Despite its rapid growth, it lags behind in terms of development.
Ncube will represent ZANU PF in Cowdray Park after he sailed through uncontested during the party’s recent primary elections.
Speaking at a recent meeting with Cowdray Park residents, Ncube said most commuter omnibuses had abandoned the constituency because of bad roads.
“Most commuter omnibuses could not get to certain areas. We have been working on the road network. We have those being upgraded and being graded as well,” Ncube said.
He added: “The residents of Cowdray Park were walking three to four kilometers to get to the transportation areas. That’s a thing of the past. “This has given a lot of relief to the elderly so that’s critically important. We want to turn Cowdray Park into a smart city and from now on we really want to be serious about it.”
Years after the suburb was established, some houses in some sections of the suburb are yet to be connected to the sewer system, while others are yet to be electrified.
Ncube said he was working with the Bulawayo City Council to address the issue of the sewage system in the area.
He said 12 electricity transformers have been delivered so far out of an expected 38 in order to connect over 9000 households to the national grid.
Ncube also promised to drill more boreholes in the constituency as part of efforts to deal with the water crisis in the area.
“ The next step within the water programme is nutritional gardens. We now have 26 boreholes. We will add more boreholes to make sure that the citizens have something to do as far as these agricultural activities are concerned,” Ncube said.
He added: “But of course we know that the ultimate solution to the water situation in Cowdray Park in the Bulawayo -Zambezi Water project, the Gwayi-Shangani Dam and there is also the Nyamandlovu aquifer.
“We will start building the receiver station here and the water treatment plant for the whole of Bulawayo water.”
Ncube also facilitated training for 600 youths in a bid to alleviate the shortage of health workers in the country.
Former deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe is also reportedly set to contest the newly created Cowdray Park constituency seat on a Citizens Coalition for Change ticket in forthcoming elections.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has since said the harmonised elections will be held in August.