Harare Post Correspondent
The alliance between MDC-A councilor, Christopher Muchenje and an influential residents association in Chivhu has fallen apart over selection of beneficiaries for SNV’s youth empowerment project.
SNV, an NGO of Dutch origin, is implementing a development program, Opportunities for Youth Employment (OYE), in Chikomba district and other parts of the country. The project targets 10 000 youths in Zimbabwe and about 450 youths in four wards of Chikomba district have been selected to participate in the program including Muchenje's Ward 9 in Chivhu.
The OYE program intends to capacitate the youths through training and funding of projects in agriculture, renewable energy and waste recycling. Muchenje was initially tasked by SNV to mobilize youths for the program in his ward. However, the councilor failed to mobilize the required numbers as he was shunned by the youths after he tried to recruit the beneficiaries on political grounds.
SNV, then sought the assistance of Chivhu Residents and Rate-payers Alliance (CHRRA) Chairperson, Collins Zvarevashe who is believed to have interests of being a councilor for the same ward. Zvarevashe went on to recruit 250 youths and submitted the list to SNV. This move angered Muchenje who approached SNV and complained that the youths recruited by Zvarevashe did not belong to his ward.
SNV projects officer, Melusi Ncube summoned Muchenje and Zvarevashe to the office to clarify the list. A heated argument reportedly ensued between the duo, which almost degenerated into a fight. Zvarevashe accused Muchenje of trying to hijack the program to further MDC-A interests.
On the other hand, Muchenje castigated Zvarevashe for trying to use the project to leverage his political ambitions, which he said was calculated at dethroning him in the 2023 elections.
Ncube intervened and advised the two that SNV was an apolitical organization and could not be used to further political interests of any party or individual. SNV, then referred the matter to Chikomba District Development Coordinator, Misheck Maridza. Maridza and SNV later resolved to remove Ward 9 from the program and replace it with a different ward to contain the situation.
Following the removal of ward 9, which constitutes the whole of Chivhu town, the jobless youths are now baying for the blood of both Muchenje and Zvarevashe for disadvantaging them in the donor program.
Contacted for a comment, Zvarevashe referred all questions to SNV, while Muchenje blamed the CHRRA leader for the unfortunate incident.
