BINGA Rural District Council (BRDC) has castigated non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who take Binga as a cash cow by getting funds in the name of the district purporting involvement in developmental projects and coming down to hold meetings and workshops that do not benefit the people. Richard Muponde Senior Reporter
Allegations are that many NGOs sourced funds from donors on the pretext they wanted to develop Binga, but instead pocketed the money and covered up by holding meetings and workshops in the district and paying participants token allowances to appear as if they were on the ground implementing projects.
BRDC executive officer for education and social amenities, Dick Mudenda, had no kind words for the organisations which he accused of taking people of Binga for granted.
“We do not want organisations that come here on the pretext of improving the lives of the people of Binga, but just hold meetings and workshops without the people benefitting.
“That’s not good for the people of Binga,” he said.
“Such organisations are not needed here.
“We want organisations that develop the livelihoods of the people. They should not come here and give people small allowances.”
His sentiments were echoed by Ward 4 councillor Elmon Mudenda who said there has been increased growth in a number of NGOs who were making money in the name of Binga.
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“That’s a very serious issue especially in Binga,” he charged.
“These organisations come here to make money without even doing ground work to ascertain what the people of Binga need.
“They come here with programmes which are not tangible.
“For example there’s an organisation which came up with a programme to give children bicycles on a use-and-pass it- on basis after finishing school.
“Do you think that programme is worth it, when the pupils after cycling to school they are going to learn sitting on the floor because there are no desks and have no textbooks or even an exercise book itself?”
Without naming any organisation, the councillor said instead of the NGOs consulting the locals on what was needed in the district, the organisations instead forced projects on the people of Binga.
“We are the people on the ground. They should inquire from us what we need, rather than for them to prescribe to us what we should have,” he said.
“That’s not acceptable. That is fraud that they are doing. They are doing so because they know Binga enjoys little media coverage and they can get away with it, but we are going to expose them.”
Despite abundant wildlife, a rich culture and an immense potential for tourism, Binga remains one of the poorest districts in Zimbabwe, with locals perennially having to rely on NGOs and the government for food aid.
