Residents Block Construction company from extracting quarry for free

Residents of Manganganga in Lupane joined forces against a construction company that sought to extract quarry from their village without consent from the locals. According to the residents, a number of construction companies are extracting quarry from Lupane for commercial purposes yet the communities have no benefit from the natural resource.

The truck, clearly marked with the construction company name was stopped by the residents before it could even begin loading the quarry. After failing to explain where he was from or where the quarry was going to, the driver was forced to compromise with the residents.

“We are well aware that for years now, there are construction companies that come to get quarry stones and sand here. These are companies from outside Lupane who get it free here and go and sell it for a killing in Bulawayo and other towns but we feel it’s about time we also started benefiting from it as well,” said Themba Ngwenya.  

The former councillor who was amongst the residents that intercepted the truck expressed the need for such companies to start ploughing back to Manganganga and other Lupane communities where they benefit from quarry and timber.

“We understand that these are natural resources that do not necessarily belong to anyone but the fact that they are located in our communities means we should benefit from them. So while these people will not buy it from us, they need to do something that will benefit our communities in exchange for the quarry and timber. We should actually be able to control our own resources, “said Libert Nyoni, the former councillor for Jotsholo ward 13.

 The driver of the truck was forced to compromise with the residents as it was evident he would return with an empty truck. He was eventually allowed to load the quarry on condition that he first transported river sand to the local school for its construction.

The incidence was witnessed by the NYDT who had just concluded a Constitutional Feedback meeting with youths from Manganganga and Ngondo villages. During the meeting, the youths had interrogated the systems of government and how it would help improve the distribution of resources, as well as the Bill of rights.  

NYDT Commemorates Breast Cancer Awareness Month

The National Youth Development Trust held a Young Women’s Study Circle in commemoration of Breast Cancer Awareness month. The objective of the study circle was to share key information with the young women about breast cancer and demystify myths about the disease. Mrs. Praxedis Nago a survivor of breast cancer and volunteer at Cancer Association of Zimbabwe facilitated the study circle.

Speaking at the meeting, Nago said that there was need for young women to understand cancer and its causes as the disease has been associated with witchcraft by a number of people leading to failure to get treatment and subsequently death. 

“Breast cancer is a disease that attacks mostly women but men can be affected by it too,” said Nago. “It is a result of cells that continue growing in the body eventually forming a tumor. If you see a lump on any part of your body you should go and see a doctor because it might be a cancerous tumor which is also known as a malignant tumor,” she said.

Nago outlined the stages of cancer to the young women. She said that there were four stages of which stage one would be the point when the cancer is just starting and in stage four it would be at its advanced stage when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body other than the breast.

She said that treatment for breast cancer involves a mastectomy, which is the surgical removal of the breast, or a lumpectomy which is a surgical operation to remove the tumor only. After undergoing one of these processes one would have to undergo chemotherapy, a process where they use chemical agents to treat cancer or radiotherapy which involves using radiation Xrays or beta rays directed at the breast to kill the cancer cells.

“There is need for people to persevere through treatment as chemotherapy can be very painful, its side effects include the loss of hair,” said Nago. “Radiotherapy on the other hand makes one tired and sweaty.  The important thing is not to focus on the side effects of the treatment but on being treated and staying alive.”

The young women were advised to avoid stress and watch the food they eat as these had been identified as causes of cancer. They were also told that cancer is hereditary hence the need to check if the family has a known history of cancer.

Nago demonstrated how the young women could check for lumps on their breasts, she also gave them pamphlets to read and distribute in their various wards in order to pass information about breast cancer. As a result, the young women pledged to regularly assess themselves for any signs of breast cancer for early detection.

The meeting was part of NYDT’s contribution to cancer awareness month as an organisation that works with young women. 

NYDT conducts Constitutional Feedback Meetings

The National Youth Development Trust conducted Constitutional feedback meetings in Makokoba (Wards 7 and 8) and Sizinda (Ward 21). The meetings were chaired by the local youth councillors and facilitated by Godwin Phiri of Intscha.com, who took the youths through the constitution making process as a way of putting them into perspective. The background of how the new constitution came to be became a crucial foundation before delving into the actual contents of the Constitution since some young people had not participated in the processes at all.

One of the key issues discussed in these meetings was the lack of harmony between provisions in the new constitution and other laws and practises of various institutions. The young people indicated that some provisions in the constitution are yet to benefit Zimbabweans because no mechanisms have been put in place to ensure that they become fully functional and effective. An example given was that of the right to education that is guaranteed in the constitution yet school going children and students are still being chased away from school for failure to pay school fees.

The rights to freedom of association and assembly were also said to be compromised by the provisions in the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and the way it is being implemented by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP).

“I do not see the point of saying I have a right to freedom of association and assembly if I will still get arrested for convening a meeting without getting cleared by the Police first. This simply means my ability to enjoy that right depends on whether a police officer somewhere wants me to  enjoy it or not. So basically that right is not guaranteed,” said Hope Sendamayi Ward 8 Youth Councillor.

The young people also highlighted that some government offices remain inaccessible to young people because they are poorly advertised. The Public protector’s office was said to be one of them as most youths in the meeting had no idea about its existence or its functions. As such it became evident that they were not benefiting from the services offered by the office of the Public Protector, formerly the Ombudsman.

In addition, the young people showed little understanding on the different roles of the various courts and hence the facilitator took time to explain these to them. The general concern amongst young people was that the country’s laws and constitutional provisions were not being explained to the general populace and as such were only known and understood by lawyers, activists and a few professionals only.

“It is as if these rights are meant to be enjoyed by a few elite because in many cases our rights are violated and we do not even know it because we are not aware of what the constitution entails,” said Viola Bango from Sizinda. 

The move to bring the constitutional feedback meetings to the communities by the NYDT was therefore commended as a crucial step towards bridging the information gap that exists between the elite and ordinary Zimbabweans.

The NYDT is currently embarking on a project to promote knowledge of the new constitution amongst young people. This is done through constitutional feedback meetings at a ward level and leaving copies of the constitution with focal people in those wards to make it accessible to them anytime. It is expected that once young people know their rights they will be able to enjoy them.