BY ISAAC NTULI
Hwange villagers have bemoaned the lack of infrastructure development in their areas despite the district contributing significantly to the national fiscus through the tourism and mining industry.
The villagers from Katchetcheti ward three expressed their disquiet about the government neglect during a 2023 budget consultative meeting organised by the Hwange Rural District Council
Council officials had informed the villagers that the local authority failed implement capital projects this year because of lack of funds.
For 2022, the local authority said it had been promised $282 million by central government which was meant to improve service delivery in the rural areas, but only received a third of the allocation.
A villager Martin Ndlovu said the poor revenue inflows into the districts did not match the outflows from the mining, wildlife and tourism industries.
“We also want to benefit from these resources as we are the custodians,” Ndlovu said.
“It is disappointing that funds are not being ploughed back to the deserving communities.”
Another villager from BH08 said poverty levels in his community showed that the area was being neglected.
“It’s not pleasing to note that the grazing area for our cattle has been invaded by wild animals and even lions are killing most of our livestock and there is no compensation for that,” he said.
“Our children from BG36 and Bh34 walk to school for over three hours and have come in contact with these wild animals.
“This is very unsafe for them because there are no nearby schools.
“So this is why we have been asking for development that includes roads to make it safe for our children if schools cannot be built.”
Other villagers said council must consider drilling boreholes in the ward to address perennial water problems.
Some applauded the district council for soldiering on and fulfilling some of the 2022 budget promises that included the completion of Leona Clinic in Vukuzenzele,and the grading of the Bethesda -Matata Road.