Staff Reporter
The ZANU PF Marondera Central candidate for the 26 March 2022 by-elections, Ignatious Mateveke has said that the former legislator for the constituency, Caston Matewu had not done anything meaningful for the people of the constituency.
Speaking to this publication recently, Mateveke said, like any other city or town under the MDC Alliance (now CCC) councillor or legislator, the people of Marondera were deprived of basic services such as water, refuse removal and sewage management.
“Matewu does not have an impressive record on the ground. What irks most Marondera residents is that he does not stay in the town. He therefore is not in touch with the people’s concerns and anxieties. Matewu is just out of touch with the pulse of the constituency. The opposition has dominated most urban local authorities for over 20 years and this has seen service standards deteriorating, but Matewu’s tenure has seen the worst of the opposition’s mismanagement of Marondera,” Mateveke said.
The candidate’s sentiments were corroborated by Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga during his address at a rally at Rudhaka Stadium in the town last weekend. The Vice President, who decried poor service delivery in the Mashonaland East Provincial town, traced the challenges to the opposition before telling the candidates and party members that “Taakuda kuti Marondera ichiita kwayo. Ichisimuka.” The VP also promised Marondera residents that by year end, water woes would be history as Muchekeranwa Dam would be linked to Wenimbi Dam, which would enable the Marondera municipality to provide water regularly.
Mateveke highlighted that other problems that the constituency’s resident faced included poor road network especially in Rusike suburb. He said that residents of the town were not happy with the high rates being charged by the municipality. He pointed out that many people needed houses. The town’s housing waiting list stands at 20 000. He said if elected, he would approach Government and the private sector to assist in addressing Marondera’s housing shortage.
“Marondera needs more infrastructure such schools, roads and recreational grounds especially in new suburbs like Garikayi. There is need to revive and grow the town’s industrial area to provide employment for the youth. After the polls when I take over as MP of Marondera Central, we’ll actively pursue investment through holding investment conferences and roadshows and ensuring that we improve the town’s ease of doing business to attract investors,” he said.
Mateveke disclosed that Party meetings had resumed after the primary elections, which he said enabled him to distribute regalia and to meet Party members. He said that he had started door to door campaigns, which he would follow up with campaign meetings.
Mateveke, who is a young businessman based in the town, has been a ZANU PF member since the 1990s and has held various positions in the Party. In 2003, he was elected Gukurahundi District Youth Political Commissar (PC). He was elected Secretary for Production in 2008 before being PC again in the main wing in 2013. He is currently the Provincial Secretary for Production.
