SHOCK as Zanu PF MP orders nurses to return donations by MDC members in Mberengwa

By Staff Reporter

Mberengwa South MP Alum Mpofu and a local Chief of Chingoma area, Micklot Dziva have ordered nurses at a rural clinic to return medical donations made by MDC members.

The donations were made at Gwai Clinic by Thembinkosi Dube, a son of the community who was born at the same rural health institution 44 years ago.

Beds and mattresses were snatched from pregnant women who were giving birth and got dumped at Dube’s home where they are gathering dust in a spare room.

Even bundles of medicinal bandages were thrown back at Dube. This is despite the fact that the poverty stricken health institution is recycling bandages.

The nurses who requested anonymity said they were pressurised into returning the donations by the Chief and current MP.

The nurses couldn’t take the pressure anymore after receiving a terrifying visit from dreaded members of the CIO based at Mataga Growth Point. The CIO read the riot act to the nurses. They were instructed to return the donations or else risk unspecified punitive measures.

Attempts to snatch 800 exercise books and pens donated by Dube at Gwai Primary School failed after learners and parents ignored the directive.

The local Zanu PF machinery is incensed with the donations because Thembinkosi contested the ward 27 councillorship under the MDC ticket. Thembinkosi’s brother Sibanengi Dube is expected to challenge Alum in the 2023 elections.

“The community was denied donations because the MP wants to protect his position. This is so wrong,” remarked one Mberengwa resident, Haruna Zhou.

Dube could not hide his frustration when he was approached for a comment.

‘I can’t believe that I have just been denied the right to make a contribution at a clinic I was born from. This can’t be correct. People are taking politics too far,” said Dube.

Dube maintained that he was not in any election mode anymore as polls will only be held in 2023.

‘Why would I be campaigning now when elections are five years away?

“If this was elections I would have withheld the donations until 2023, but I genuinely intend to help my community,” said Dube.

Sibanengi however denied that he was eyeing the Mberengwa South constituency in 2023.

“These rumours have been circling since 2013. I have no political interests in Mberengwa South,” he said adding that it was ‘satanic’ to deny citizens their rights to contribute to their communities.

“One doesn’t need a party card to assist a community that nurtured him/her. This is shocking and unacceptable even by Taliban standards,” said Sibanengi.

Dube also paid a local furniture maker Daniel Chinyerere to make and deliver benches and chairs to the clinic for patients to sit on while waiting for treatment.

Chinyerere was however turned away when he turned up at the clinic to deliver the furniture leaving patients sitting on rocks and logs.

“Tasvika ku clinic tikanzi dzokerai nemabenches enyu,” said Chinyerere in a WhatsApp message to Dube. This is loosely translated as “we arrived at the clinic but we were told to go back with our benches.”

Fuming residents of Mberengwa roundly condemned Zanu PF’s decision to deny the community members access to the much needed donations.

Irate residents vented their anger at MP Mpofu at 03 South, a Whatsapp group platform which he is a member. MP Mpofu apologised over the ugly handling of the donation, but also blamed the donors for not involving him and the councillor.

Mpofu said there were procedures to be followed when donating to a public institution, but could not shed more light when he was challenged to cite such constitutional clauses to back his explanation.

Both MP Mpofu promised to get the relevant committee to collect the donation from Dube’s home. Chief Dziva of Chingoma area visited Dube’s home where he met his mother and made a similar promise to get the donations back to the clinic. Both promises were never kept.