THE outlying farming post in Tengwe looks neglected for any traveller within Hurungwe East constituency.
About 45km east of Karoi town lies Tengwe Country Club, once a hive of activity as commercial farmers networked for the benefit of the agricultural sector around Hurungwe district.
The surroundings were naturally green and blooming flowers kept birds singing songs of prosperity.
The farmers used to share notes on how they could nurture gold leaf, maize and soya beans, among other cash crops, farming.
It gave the reality of Tengwe as “Little England”, with favourable weather conditions charecterised by high precipitations and good soils.
That gave hope to farmers, a sense of development in the community and made Hurungwe district the breadbasket of Mashonaland West province since 1980.
Some of the commercial farmers ventured into cattle, sheep and goat rearing.
Tengwe Syndicate Dam, that is a 4km stretch, is located a few kilometres from the club pumping life and hope into serious farmers who can afford irrigation.
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But things have changed for the worst due to neglect of the once-vibrant club.
It has become a white elephant as reality strikes, with broken windows, outdated furniture that has failed the test of time since the chaotic fast-track land reform programme in 2000.
The toilets are no longer functional, with visitors opting to use Blair toilets that are outside the premises.
Strong farm bricks are battling to hold the centre.
In fact, the club has become a pale shadow of its yesteryearself.
As fate has it, the country club remains as one of the buildings, including tobacco barns and farm houses, that are dilapidated around the countryside farms.
Whereas some new farmers have turned farm houses into fowl runs and goat pens, the club has been left to rot.
The neglect of Tengwe Country Club is causing sleepless nights to leaders in the area.
Hurungwe East MP Chenjerai Kangausaru is not happy that the club has not been utilised for community development in the outlying rural constituency, stretching from Chirariro to Mbezo, among other rural outposts under Chief Mjinga.
Other places that see Tengwe Business Centre as a place to be are Mazhaka, Kasimure and Chikuti.
“We can’t afford to leave such infrastructure being wasted,” Kangausaru said.
“We are appealing to the government to take over the club and use it as a vocational training centre for youth programmes. The building is modern for anything and it just needs touch ups.”
He revealed that Tengwe Country Club was run down when it was being rented out as a beerhall by Hurungwe Rural District Council for a song.
“The club has been deserted and is now in a sorry state. We need financial injection from the government and turn the club into an information communication and technology hub so that our youths will not be left behind in that regard,” Kangausaru said.
“As you can see, the club windows are broken and no one cares, but once it is an educational facility, things will change for the better. It will add value for us all to lure investors.”
He further noted that the club was surrounded by vast tracts of land where sporting facilities can be built for tennis, volleyball, golf, soccer and netball, among others.
“We want to make things work for our youths through sports development. This can help them to stay away from drug and substance abuse,” he said.
Kangausaru suggested that the club needed a borehole to service the area.
“There is a water crisis around Tengwe business centre and it is one of my priorities to have a borehole drilled as part of revamping the status of the club on our developmental agenda,” he said.
Hurungwe rural district council ward 2 councillor Edward Makarani, under whose jurisdiction the club falls, refused to comment on the matter.
“I’m sorry, I don’t want to comment on anything to the media,” said Makarani, who is also the local authority’s vice-chairperson.
Tengwe Farmers Association chairperson Stanley Nyadzombe said their members should benefit from the club.
“It is a noble idea that the club be renovated and turned into a vocational training centre, where farmers must benefit from training. We need to move with new trends and the place is ideal for us all,” he said.
Nyadzombe added that tobacco companies could utilise the club for farmers’ educational programmes.
“Once the club is turned into a vocational training centre, farmers can get the latest information from experts on a regular basis. The club is the missing link for farming development in Tengwe,” he added.
Hurungwe district has 24 rural wards divided into four constituencies, namely Hurungwe East, Hurungwe West, Hurungwe North and Magunje.
There is only one vocational training centre in the area near Magunje growth point.
As of now, all eyes are on Kangausaru to transform his frustration to reality and turn the neglected Tengwe Country Club into a development asset for Hurungwe East and beyond.
