Tutume sub district forum decry poor development
Chakalisa Dube | Tuesday September 1, 2015 16:18
Its main purpose is to advocate and offer ideas on how the Tutume sub-district can be best developed.
The forum was addressing a meeting with all sitting Members of Parliament (MP) for constituencies that make up the Tutume sub district.
MPs Polson Majaga and Edwin Batshu represented Nata-Gweta and Nkange constituencies, respectively. MP for Shashe West, Fidelis Molao, was absent but he sent a representative.
One of the forum members, Lambani Moeti, said critical facilities in the area are in a dilapidated state and no longer serving their intended purpose.
“Patients at Tutume primary hospital which services many areas in the sub-district do not have privacy because the wards are always full. In fact, patients of both genders use the same wards, which also offer little privacy.
“We had hoped that in the current financial year we would get a new hospital because the government was aware of our plight, but the budget had nothing for us,” he said. Moeti said that many areas in the sub district do not have proper internal roads.
“Some projects for internal roads were shelved due to the recession but we are surprised that they are now not given priority since the economy has improved,” he said. Another forum member, Batisani Maswibilili, said the sub district needs a new police station in Nata and Marapong/Sebina areas. He added that Tutume and Nata police stations have to be upgraded and equipped with semi urban facilities that will enable officers to deal with more sophisticated crime, which is taking precedence in the area.
Maswibilili also bemoaned the state of major roads in the sub district saying they are also in a very poor state. He said Matsitama, Mosetse, Nata-Sepako, Goshwe-Tutume and Nswazwi-Kalakamati roads need urgent attention because they are difficult to negotiate, which he said negatively affects transportation in the area.
“It’s disappointing that when we go to other sub-districts which are new, we often find roads under construction. We also believe that we should be given priority,” he said. Batshu responded that he was equally frustrated by the lack of developments in the Tutume sub district particularly Nkange, which is his constituency.
“Designs for internal roads which are part of the village infrastructure project were done in the National Development Plan (NDP9). The construction of the infrastructure was part of my main wish list during the NDP 10 review but they could not be included because of lack of funds. I was very unhappy when I was told that they would not be implemented because of lack of funds,” he said.
Batshu said though the construction of the Tutume hospital is not in the NDP 10, he would ensure that the project remains one of the main priorities in the NDP 11. “Additionally, government will extend wards at the hospital by 24 beds during the current financial year,” he said.
Batshu also said that the Maitengwe police station was listed on the NDP 10, but it later came to their attention that the plot allocated for the building was too small. He also said that he would ensure that Goshwe-Tutume and Nswazi-Kalamakati roads are also inculcated into the NDP 11.
Majaga echoed Batshu’s sentiments, expressing frustration over lack of developments in the sub district. “We are doing our best to advocate for the development of the sub-district. At times our efforts are frustrated by excuses that there is no money. We plead with you (forum) and general members of the community to help us push the government to develop the sub-district,” he said.