MWENEZI
–
Mwenezi East villagers have condemned their Member of Parliament, Joosbi Omar
saying he had done very little to improve the lives of the marginalized
families in the constituency.
–
Mwenezi East villagers have condemned their Member of Parliament, Joosbi Omar
saying he had done very little to improve the lives of the marginalized
families in the constituency.
In racially-charged
statements, villagers say they regret electing Omar, a Coloured, into office,
claiming he was not in touch with the real issues affecting ordinary people in
the constituency.
statements, villagers say they regret electing Omar, a Coloured, into office,
claiming he was not in touch with the real issues affecting ordinary people in
the constituency.
“The problem is that
Omar is a Coloured and as such he does not understand our issues. Cases of
pregnant women walking kilometers to fetch water away from the clinic and hospital patients
eating sadza with sugar are real. We tried but in vein to engage the MP but
since he won the elections he became slippery,” said one villager.
Omar is a Coloured and as such he does not understand our issues. Cases of
pregnant women walking kilometers to fetch water away from the clinic and hospital patients
eating sadza with sugar are real. We tried but in vein to engage the MP but
since he won the elections he became slippery,” said one villager.
Responding to questions
from TellZim News regarding these issues and others that include his apparent failure to fix
the water crisis in Chingwizi, Omar said those who were not happy with his pace
were insignificant.
from TellZim News regarding these issues and others that include his apparent failure to fix
the water crisis in Chingwizi, Omar said those who were not happy with his pace
were insignificant.
He heaped contempt on
the growing dissatisfaction with his performance, saying he was pleased with
his own work and will therefore not listen to ‘two or six’ villagers.
the growing dissatisfaction with his performance, saying he was pleased with
his own work and will therefore not listen to ‘two or six’ villagers.
He also accused people
of being ungrateful for the work he claimed to have done, saying on many
occasions he used his own money to help others.
of being ungrateful for the work he claimed to have done, saying on many
occasions he used his own money to help others.
In the run-up to the
harmonised elections last year, Omar promised many things including bringing an
end to the suffering of Chingwizi people who have lived without easy access to
many basic needs including potable water.
harmonised elections last year, Omar promised many things including bringing an
end to the suffering of Chingwizi people who have lived without easy access to
many basic needs including potable water.
“Ndezve kwavo izvo. I still have five years to prove a point. So I
am not worried by two or six people who are politicking. I have done a lot for
the people of Mwenezi so for someone to complain is simple politicking and not
politics,” said Omar.
am not worried by two or six people who are politicking. I have done a lot for
the people of Mwenezi so for someone to complain is simple politicking and not
politics,” said Omar.
This week, TellZim News
ran a story about pregnant women in Chingwizi being sent to fetch their own
water at a borehole as Chingwizi Clinic, the only health facility in the
expansive area, does not have water three years after the clinic was opened.
ran a story about pregnant women in Chingwizi being sent to fetch their own
water at a borehole as Chingwizi Clinic, the only health facility in the
expansive area, does not have water three years after the clinic was opened.
After numerous
complaints that Omar and other authorities are failing to hold businessman
Billy Rautenbach to account for his violation of villagers’ rights by denying
them access to water and grazing, Omar promised to find an urgent solution but
little has happened to date.
complaints that Omar and other authorities are failing to hold businessman
Billy Rautenbach to account for his violation of villagers’ rights by denying
them access to water and grazing, Omar promised to find an urgent solution but
little has happened to date.
When asked about when
he will fulfill his promises and ensure that people do not continue to be
squeezed by Rautenbach’s exploitative business practices, Omar resorted to
blame-shifting.
he will fulfill his promises and ensure that people do not continue to be
squeezed by Rautenbach’s exploitative business practices, Omar resorted to
blame-shifting.
“It is Billy, not me,
who is the one who is being stubborn. He, not me, promised to give people
access to grazing but he did not fulfill that. He, not me, promised to give
people water but he again didn’t do it. I have in many instances used my own
money to help people but it is not the duty of an MP to spend their own money
on constituents. After all, you can’t please everybody.
who is the one who is being stubborn. He, not me, promised to give people
access to grazing but he did not fulfill that. He, not me, promised to give
people water but he again didn’t do it. I have in many instances used my own
money to help people but it is not the duty of an MP to spend their own money
on constituents. After all, you can’t please everybody.
“Those who think they
can cause malice and de – campaign me ahead of 2023 can forget it. The ground
is open and we will see who will be defeated,” said Omar.
can cause malice and de – campaign me ahead of 2023 can forget it. The ground
is open and we will see who will be defeated,” said Omar.
On recent media
revelations of serious nutritional deficiencies at Neshuro Hospital which has
seen patients being fed on sadza and sugar, Omar said he was concerned with more
pressing issues like servicing the ambulance fleet.
revelations of serious nutritional deficiencies at Neshuro Hospital which has
seen patients being fed on sadza and sugar, Omar said he was concerned with more
pressing issues like servicing the ambulance fleet.
“I have found donors
from South Africa who will repair five ambulances. That is one of the many
other issues I am attending at the hospital,” Omar said.
from South Africa who will repair five ambulances. That is one of the many
other issues I am attending at the hospital,” Omar said.
He, however, refused to
say who the donors were and when could the work be expected to be done.
say who the donors were and when could the work be expected to be done.
Many people, however,
say Omar was good at empty talk and they regretted electing him into office.
say Omar was good at empty talk and they regretted electing him into office.
“He promised much but
hasn’t done much. We made a mistake by electing an outsider during our primary
elections and letting down our own people with homes in Mwenezi East. Omar is
an outsider and is not in touch with our genuine needs.
hasn’t done much. We made a mistake by electing an outsider during our primary
elections and letting down our own people with homes in Mwenezi East. Omar is
an outsider and is not in touch with our genuine needs.
“If he was active
enough in communities and even in parliament, we could be seeing at least one
school being built especially here where pupils are learning under trees. Most
of our primary schools here are satellite schools with no classrooms and
benches,” said a villager in Ward 13, who claimed to be a member of Zanu PF.
enough in communities and even in parliament, we could be seeing at least one
school being built especially here where pupils are learning under trees. Most
of our primary schools here are satellite schools with no classrooms and
benches,” said a villager in Ward 13, who claimed to be a member of Zanu PF.
