TENDAI BHEBHE IN BULAWAYO
The mayor of the city of Bulawayo, Solomon Mguni last week commissioned a satellite clinic in Emganwini high density suburb.
It comes at a time residents have been travelling long distances to access health facilities in the nearby suburbs.
For years, Emganwini residents have been to other suburbs such as Nkulumane and Nketa for health services, despite the fact that over 1 000 households contributed funds to the project to complement money from the Constituency Development Fund allocated through Parliament.
Speaking at a ceremony to commission the clinic,Mguni said: “Over the years, the Emganwini suburb has been expanding hence the need to increase social amenities in the area. Chief among these is the council clinic within the community that will make healthcare accessible and affordable for the residents.”
He added: “For the past three decades, Emganwini residents have been forced to access healthcare services from Nketa and Nkulumane clinics. Limited funding has affected the city council’s capacity to construct a clinic in Emganwini and other newly-established suburbs.
“The completion of this satellite clinic is a first step towards improved healthcare services accessibility to the community of Emganwini.”
Phelela Masuku, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Nketa, stated that the community will benefit from the project.
“I am happy that as I make way for the next MP, I have completed a project that will benefit the whole community.
“No one will accuse me of squandering government funds meant to develop communities. We have done quite a number of different projects in the two terms I was in office, but this one has been the greatest. I am quite proud,” he said.
He added: “This project would not have been a success without the help of the councillors and various committees, fellow MPs and the residents at large. It’s been an amazing journey for us all and everyone who was involved worked very hard to get us to the end of this project.”
