Government blocking development in Gweru

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ZANU-PF officials in Gweru have reportedly frustrated efforts to invite government officials to preside over the handover of a school science laboratory which was renovated by MDC Alliance legislator, Brian Dube.

Dube made the revelations last week during a Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development organised meeting on public finance management and local governance.

“The handover of Ascot high School’s renovated science laboratory has been problematic with school officials being threatened,” Dube said.

“We ended up failing to do the official handover after vehicles of State security agents made numerous visits to the school to block the programme.”

He added: “Such politicisation of development is one of the reasons why some partners are not willing to partner us as opposition MPs in community development projects.”

Dube, who also recently turned a bar in Ivene suburb into a community clinic using Constituency Development Funds (CDF) said some local businesses who had initially pledged support for the project later pulled out for fear of being “politically associated”.

Last week, the opposition legislator handed over the health facility to the community and invited mayor Josiah Makombe (also from the MDC Alliance) as guest of honour.

Contacted for comment, Midlands Provincial Affairs minister Larry Mavima, however, said he was not aware of any attempts by officials from his party to stop government representatives from presiding over the handover of MDC Alliance-initiated projects.

“No, I am not (aware of such attempts), neither have I been invited and/or informed (of the handover of Ascot Secondary science lab),” said Mavima, who is also a Zanu-PF senator for Midlands.