BY SILAS NKALA
Nkayi South villagers have poked holes into claims by their Zanu PF legislator Stars Mathe that she has built three schools using $2 million disbursed under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Mathe, who became MP for the constituency in 2018, told Khulumani FM radio that she had initiated various infrastructure projects since getting into office, including constructing three schools.
“When we started getting the CDF, we looked at the shortage of schools in Nkayi South as children walk long distances of up to 30 kilometres.
“I then ‘planted’ three new secondary schools starting with Gonye Secondary School, which is now at roofing stage.
“We then went to build Sagonda secondary school.
“I had to cut down trees in the virgin land and build Sagonda.
“We also went to Gwamba valley and built one school in the bush after talking to the Forestry Commission and we constructed Dabe Secondary School to cater for the area.”
However, in their virtual Nkayi Community Parliament, villagers said the $2 million mentioned by Mathe was not even enough to build a classroom block, let alone three schools.
“The money is too little and when converted to United States dollars it is around US$8000 to US$10 000. Any reputable contractor will charge $3,5 million to complete a classroom block, not a school,” community member Lizom Ncube said.
Another villager said $2 milllion can only purchase roofing, but not enough to also cover transport costs to Nkayi.
Lovemore Nkomazana said: “We want MPs who go there to represent us and tell Parliament that people want so much money rather than to just be given a useless amount of money.”
This is not the first time that Mathe has been at loggerheads with villagers over the face of social amenities in Nkayi.
At one time, Mathe courted the ire of villagers after accusing them of not being grateful for the Bulawayo-Nkayi road rehabilitation programme.
The road has been in a poor state for decades. In previous years, the government has been undertaking less than 10 kilometres of rehabilitation works of the strip road.