Zimbabwe: MDC-T Ministers Taken to Task

The MDC-T Bulawayo provincial executive met with the two MDC-T ministers along with legislators and councillors from the three Matabeleland provinces recently to discuss how the water crisis and food shortages stalking the region could be averted.

Gorden Moyo, the MDC-T provincial chairperson, said his party had declared the water situation in Bulawayo a “national disaster” yet Sipepa Nkomo, who comes from the rgion has not moved to address the situation.

Civic society organisations and residents in the second city have also questioned Sipepa Nkomo’s effectiveness in the wake of crippling water cuts in Bulawayo.

The minister has also come under fire for the slow implementation of the Zambezi Water Project, seen as the long-term solution to the city’s water woes.

Indications are that the project can only be completed in 2014.

Sipepa Nkomo has since indicated that donations have been secured from well-wishers and that several Western countries had pledged to work towards normalising the water situation.

The MDC-T Bulawayo provincial chairperson said his party has advised Sipepa Nkomo to move with speed in implementing the water project.

“As a party, we want to make sure that the Bulawayo City Council also delivers on its mandate to provide social services to the residents of Bulawayo and we now expect the local authority as well as the Water Minister to report back to the MDC-T on a regular basis until the issue of the water crisis is resolved,” he said.

Seiso Moyo was not spared in the attacks over the drought that has hit the Matabeleland provinces.

Livestock are dying at alarming rate, with over 200 000 cattle under the threat of dying from starvation due to lack of pastures.

The provincial chairperson said the party has taken an interest in the matter and has since advised the Deputy Minister to do something about it.

“So we expect our Deputy Minister of Agriculture to go back to Cabinet and harness the US$3 million that has been provided by the Ministry of Finance towards the livestock emergency recovery and survival programme,” he said.