The Chronicle
Peter Matika – [email protected]
MISS Nobuhle Nyathi has lived in Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park for the entirety of her life and has always longed for meaningful development as some parts of the suburb resembled rural areas.
Today, Miss Nyathi and many other youths of the suburb are now living what they have coined the “Mthuli Dream”.
The Mthuli Dream was conceived after Professor Mthuli Ncube, who is the Finance and Economic Development Minister, made known his intention to run for the Cowdray Park seat in general elections slated for August.
Cowdray Park residents speak on Mthuli Ncube’s projects.-Road works
Professor Ncube who has vast experience in transforming communities and economies across Africa has implemented an array of projects that residents of the suburb are already benefiting from.
The projects include the electrification of parts of the suburb, road rehabilitation, borehole drilling, provision of Wi-Fi services, driving lessons and Red Cross training.
Cowdray Park is regarded as the biggest constituency in Bulawayo, with over 24 000 registered voters.
The suburb has over 75 000 residents, and is the second-largest suburb in the country after Budiriro in Harare.
Despite its rapid growth, Cowdray Park lags behind in terms of development.
A section of the suburb known as Hlalani Kuhle/Garikai has a poor road network and some houses are yet to be connected to the sewer system, as well as electrified.
To date, 26 boreholes — 15 of them already operational — have been drilled, road habilitation is in progress and Wi-Fi has been installed at strategic parts of the suburbs which include a police station, and three schools.
“I was born here. I have lived here all my life. And I have lived a life similar to a rural set up. Now with professor Ncube throwing in his hat to contest for this seat, life has become interesting and exciting in this constituency.
“He has come up with many projects that we are already benefiting from.
“Personally I am a beneficiary of the Red Cross programme, which is beneficial to those of us who underwent the course.
“As it is there is a clinic that is being set up and we hope to find employment there,” said Miss Nyathi.
She said she is part of a voluntary team that is leading in training and recruiting youths for the programme.
“The needs of the youths are being answered. New registrations are taking place tomorrow at the Roman Catholic Church at 8am. So far there are at least 3 000 youths that have been trained within the constituency from the time of inception. As I noted, the pioneer classes are already working with various health institutions in the city. The plan to sweep youths from the streets of Cowdray Park in the most productive manner is proving fruitful,” said Miss Nyathi.
Another resident, Mrs Susan Moyo-Hove said she is excited with the electricity project.
“Once we have electricity, as already the minister has provided us with a generator, cables and poles I can kiss my cooking over the fire goodbye. The cumbersome experience of searching for firewood is something that I don’t want any of the new generations to experience. A lot of other female residents and I are very much grateful to the minister and want to see more from him, as he develops Cowdray Park,” she said.
