BINGA South opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Fanuel Cumanzala, has called for immediate government action to address the persistent challenges crippling his constituency.
Cumanzala complained that despite Binga South’s vast natural resources, rich culture, and untapped potential, its people continue to suffer from neglect and underdevelopment.
“For decades, promises have been made, and projects have been announced, yet the ordinary villager in Kamalumbu, Sinamagonde, or Mabobolo still asks the same painful question: When will development reach us?” asked Cumanzala.
The MP described food security and drought as “a cruel visitor” that has left families hungry and livestock wiped out.
He called for the establishment of irrigation schemes powered by the Zambezi River and Lake Kariba, the promotion of drought-resistant crops, and the fair distribution of food aid without political bias.
“Hunger knows no party; it knows only human suffering,” he stressed.
On the issue of water and sanitation, Cumanzala decried the long distances women and children travel in search of water, sometimes walking up to 15 kilometres.
He demanded the rehabilitation of broken boreholes, the expansion of drilling programmes, and the use of solar technology for sustainability.
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“Water is life; therefore, it is unacceptable for communities living along the Zambezi to remain thirsty,” he said.
The MP highlighted what he termed “the greatest irony”, saying although the Kariba Dam powers the nation, most of Binga South remains without electricity.
He urged the Rural Electrification Agency to complete stalled projects to ensure clinics, schools, and small businesses can function effectively.
He also called for the urgent surfacing of roads to end seasonal isolation during the rainy season.
Cumanzala lamented the state of education, with pupils walking long distances and schools suffering severe teacher shortages.
He proposed better incentives for rural teachers, ICT facilities for digital learning, and vocational training in carpentry, tourism, fishing, and mechanics to empower youth to become job creators.
On healthcare, he bemoaned a situation where mothers walk for hours or days to reach clinics.
He called for the construction of new health facilities, improved maternity wards, consistent medicine supplies, and decent housing for health workers.
“Health is a right, not a privilege,” he said.
Cumanzala also addressed the plight of villagers, who live alongside elephants, lions, and crocodiles, often losing crops and lives while reaping little benefit from the wildlife industry.
He demanded community shareholding in wildlife revenues and fair compensation for victims of human-wildlife conflict.
Cumanzala demanded transparency and equitable allocation of resources to Matabeleland North.
“The people of Binga South are tired of seeing resources allocated, but never reaching them,” he said.
Cumanzala declared that Binga South was not poor, but “made poor by neglect.”
He urged authorities to replace promises with tangible action.
“What we ask for is simple: fairness, equity, and justice,” he said.
