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Minister of State for Matabeleland North, Cain Mathema

Oswell Moyo Chronicle Reporter
MINISTER of State for Matabeleland North, Cain Mathema has called on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to come up with developmental programmes that are community centred so as to ensure sustainability amid revelations that most programmes are on the verge of collapse.

At a consultative workshop held at a local hotel on Friday, Minister Mathema said most development programmes implemented by NGOs collapsed because communities were not involved in the planning and final implementation of the projects.

In a speech read on his behalf by Provincial Administrator for Matabeleland North Province Latiso Dlamini, the Minister said: “A number of implementation challenges have been encountered in community development policies. These include the absence of a people driven agenda and the rapidly changing environment”

“The community development policy should provide direction in enabling institutions and other organisations involved in community development to recognise that communities are responsible for bringing about their own development and thus support such people driven developments.”

He said NGOs should desist from coming up with planned programmes because most of them did not improve people’s livelihoods. Minister Mathema said for example, some NGOs prioritised building football and netball pitches instead of libraries, clinics and schools that people urgently needed.

He said development partners such as NGOs were supposed to concentrate on socio-economic matters instead of meddling in politics.

“NGOs must stop focusing on political issues. There are lot of bread and butter issues that affect ordinary people. We need transformation of people’s lives and betterment of their standard of living,” said Minister Mathema.

Participants drawn from Agritex, Lupane State University, Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union, Women’s Forum and United Development Fund called for the establishment of community development centres in all provinces which will spearhead and monitor implementation of development projects.

“In Zimbabwe we do not have a national community development policy. We are moving like a train without a head. There is therefore an urgent need to establish vibrant and strong monitored community centres” said an official from Lupane State University.