Beverly Bizeki
BIKITA – A cloud of suspicion hangs over the Mapovomovo Clinic project in Bikita West,
Ward 9, after 42 bags of cement meant for the construction of the community’s only satellite
health facility went missing, raising fears that someone within the project committee may
have sabotaged the community’s long wait for accessible healthcare.
The theft has not only stalled construction but has exposed a disturbing trend where resources
meant for the poor are siphoned off, leaving residents to continue walking long distances to
access healthcare.
Ward 9 Councillor Surprise Pembere confirmed the incident to TellZim News, saying the sad
development was discovered in June when officials approached the committee overseeing the
community project to establish how much cement remained for ongoing construction.
“It is true, we had an incident in which 42 bags of cement that were meant for the
development of Mapomovo Clinic in Ward 9, Bikita West, went missing. The matter was
brought to light after we went to the committee in charge to ask for the cement to proceed
with works in June, only to find out that some 42 bags were missing. The matter was reported
to the police under case number 6822665,” said Pembere.
The clinic, which comprises eight rooms and is nearing completion, was being developed as a
satellite health facility to reduce the distance residents in the ward have to travel to Bikita
Rural Hospital to access healthcare. With plastering remaining and finishing materials
already on site, the disappearance of the cement has brought progress to a standstill, leaving
the community in limbo.
“This has stalled progress at the clinic as this is a community project. We were just
mobilising resources so that we can be able to have at least a satellite clinic in the ward,” said
Pembere.
Residents who spoke to TellZim News said the disappearance of the cement came to light
after some community members allegedly saw cement being sold in the area. One source said
concerns were raised after a member of the committee responsible for the project was
allegedly seen selling cement, prompting an investigation into the quantity of cement
remaining at the site.
The source told TellZim News that Bikita West MP Daniel Nhatiso Makusha later inspected
the project and found that only 58 bags had been used for construction, while 42 bags could
not be accounted for.
“The disturbing part of this incident is that no break-in at the place where the cement was
being kept was reported, nor were there any breakages found, with no one accounting for the
missing bags. The government is making efforts to develop communities for the benefit of
everyone but few people want to benefit on their own. Even if the clinic could have been
completed with 58 bags only, the remaining cement should have been used for the
construction of other social structures in the community,” the source said.
Contacted for comment, Makusha condemned the disappearance and called for the missing
cement to be recovered and accounted for.
“No one is accounting for the stolen bags, but this is not the right approach. While
construction is almost complete, the cement needs to be returned for other works,” he said.
Masvingo acting provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Masauso Patinyu said
they were yet to receive the report and would follow up with Bikita police.
However, the community is calling for a thorough investigation to hold the culprits
accountable, with residents demanding that government and relevant authorities intervene to
ensure the project is completed and the stolen cement recovered.
The project, which began over three decades ago, has seen many leaders come and go,
leaving it at various stages. Now, with the theft of cement, the community’s dream of having
a nearby clinic has been dealt yet another blow, and the scandal has cast a shadow over the
integrity of the project committee.
