BY NOMVELO SIZIBA

Parliament has requested information on how mining revenue generated in Binga is contributing to local development amid growing calls for communities to benefit more directly from natural resources found in their areas.

In a question directed to the Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, Joseph Cumanzala seeks details on the amount of revenue generated from mining operations in Binga District and how that revenue is being allocated or reinvested into development projects in the Zambezi Valley.  

The question further asks how Binga is being integrated into national development plans and which priority projects have been earmarked for the district.  

The issue speaks directly to a broader national debate around resource governance and whether communities living in resource-rich areas are receiving a fair share of the economic benefits generated from their regions.

Residents and civic groups have long argued that improvements in infrastructure, health services, education and water supply should be visible in areas contributing to national economic activity.

BY STAFF REPORTER 

Government says it is implementing several measures aimed at improving healthcare services in Binga District, including deploying more nurses, intensifying outreach programmes and strengthening disease control interventions in remote communities.

The update was given in Parliament by Deputy Health and Child Care Minister Sleiman Kwidini in response to questions from Binga North MP Joseph Cumanzala.  

Cumanzala had asked Government to explain what interventions were being undertaken to improve healthcare delivery in rural Binga, reduce malaria and waterborne diseases and expand healthcare facilities in the district.  

Responding in Parliament, Kwidini said Government intended to increase the national health workforce significantly by 2030.

“To ensure an adequate health workforce, the Ministry of Health and Child Care is planning to double the number of health workers by 2030,” he said.  

He added that Binga had already received additional primary healthcare nurses deployed across rural health centres to strengthen service delivery.  

Kwidini said outreach programmes remained a key strategy in addressing healthcare access challenges in remote communities.

“For the hard-to-reach communities, we have managed to sustain outreach services, especially for the immunisation of children under five years,” he said.  

“Outreach services mean our health teams will bring health services directly into communities to cater for the elderly and young ones, thus reducing travel distance to health facilities,” he added.  

The deputy minister also highlighted Government efforts to control diseases common in the Zambezi Valley.

“With the help of the head office, the district has managed to put neglected tropical diseases such as bilharzia under control through mass drug administration working together with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education,” Kwidini said.  

Binga remains among Zimbabwe’s malaria-prone districts because of its climatic conditions and proximity to large water bodies including Lake Kariba and the Zambezi River.

The parliamentary response comes as communities in the district continue calling for better-equipped clinics, improved ambulance services and increased staffing in rural health centres.

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

For Obert Dube, a renowned African poet, the stage is no longer just a place for performance; it has become a platform for a massive humanitarian effort aimed at Zimbabwe’s most vulnerable children. Since November, Dube has traversed the rugged terrains of Matabeleland North and South, visiting over 100 schools to provide essential supplies to students who, much like his younger self, are struggling to stay in the classroom.

Obert Dube

Dube, who describes himself as an “African poet… born and bred in Zimbabwe,” has dedicated his career to what he calls a “mission of mercy.” His work focuses on children who are often forced to drop out due to a lack of school fees or basic stationery. “I’m an African poet… a philanthropist engaged in a special mission,” Dube said in a recent interview. “I help vulnerable children… who sometimes fail due to school fees. Some approach me for help with registering for examinations.”

The poet’s motivation is deeply rooted in his own childhood trauma. Raised by a widowed mother who passed away before his final exams, Dube became a “child parent” at a young age. He recalls the humiliation of attending school in borrowed uniforms and the struggle of trying to learn without the most basic tools. “I remember some raised by elderly grandparents… their parents are passed on,” Dube explained, noting that many guardians cannot afford books. “They will spend the rest of the time at school without writing, and that is what is contributing to low pass rates.”

To fund this initiative, Dube allocates 30 percent of his earnings from every performance to purchase stationery and pay school fees. His reach has expanded to districts including Nkayi, Binga, Lupane, and Hwange. While he started alone, his social media presence has attracted global support, including a Zimbabwean-born UK citizen who recently donated football kits for the schools. “This is a different thing collectively that builds helping our own communities,” Dube said.