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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, [email protected]

GOVERNMENT yesterday handed over a new Mbamba Clinic to Tsholotsho Rural District Council at a colourful ceremony that was attended by senior Government and Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) officials, community members and traditional leaders.

The clinic is one of the 2023 ZDF community assistance projects that were implemented during the  ZDF Community Assistance Week.

The  spirit and purpose of the community assistance week is to foster cordial civil-military relations, engender self-reliance and educate members of the public on the role of the ZDF during peacetime.

The  ZDF marks the week by conducting short-term health, construction and maintenance projects nationwide.

The  clinic was built using funds mobilised by the community, mainly those based outside the country as well as Constituency Development Funds (CDF) with the army providing builders and other skilled personnel. 

Zimbabweans in the diaspora provided most of the building materials, which included 600 bags of cement, 10 loads of pit sand, brickforce and other building materials. Members of the community provided labour.

Prior to the construction of the clinic, villagers were travelling more than 10km to Bhubhude  Clinic while others travelled about 20km to Makhaza Clinic. In some cases, the sick were forced to seek services at  Tsholotsho District Hospital.

Ministry of Defence and War Veterans Affairs permanent secretary, Mr Aaron Nhepera handed over the clinic to the council on behalf of the ZDF. 

He said the successful completion of the clinic was another milestone in Government’s efforts to promote a vibrant service delivery framework in previously marginalised areas such as Tsholotsho.

“Tsholotsho District has witnessed the implementation of a number of such projects and programmes in the past such as the issuance of registration documents to the San community, which was launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage,” said Mr Nhepera.

He said ZDF worked jontly with the council and the community to construct Mbamba Clinic.

Mr Nhepera said the synergy and cooperation among stakeholders buttressed President Mnangagwa’s philosophy that ‘‘Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabaninilo/nyika inovakwa nevene vayo.”

He said the community assistance programme was one of the ZDF’s top priorities during peacetime and is meant to create a symbiotic and mutually beneficial relations between ZDF and the communities they serve.

Mr Nhepera said the construction of Mbamba Clinic had brought health services close to the people.

He said the modernisation of health facilities was one of the key deliverables of Vision 2030 hence the ZDF was working with other stakeholders to improve health facilities.

Ward 15 councillor, Morris Ndlovu, said the clinic was a fulfilment of the Second Republic’s philosophy of leaving no place and no one behind.

“It’s unfortunate that my predecessors since 1980 didn’t take it upon themselves to mobilise locals towards the construction of such an important facility. I am happy that our oneness has taken us this far,” he sad.

Since 2017 when the Second Republic came in, four clinics were built Tsholotsho and these are Jowa, Inala, Chibizela and Mbamba.

Senior army officials led by Major General Hlanganani Dube, Chief Mahlathini, Senator Alice Dube, Tsholotsho Rural District Council chairperson, Esau Siwela, chief executive officer Mr Nkululeko Sibanda, and District Development Coordinator Mr Aaron Gono were among those that witnessed the clinic handover.