Legislator Saves Children From Sharing Classroom With Cows

he construction of the classroom blocks is part of the MP’s target to improve educational standards in the forgotten part of the country. Students were walking more than 10 kilometres going to and from school.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai lamented the lack of development in the area, whose accessibility is a nightmare.

Tsvangirai saw for himself the scantly thatched roofs on wooden planks that served as classrooms for the 200 plus Maodzwa Primary school pupils. Inside the classrooms there was no furniture for the students and pupils sat on the grass that had been laid on the dusty floor.

Cattle found their way into the classrooms as there was no restriction to the entrance and dropped their dung, which students were forced to clean before they commenced lessons.

The teachers shared the only two bed roomed house at the school forcing most of them to seek shelter in the communal areas.

Tsvangirai criticised the former government for ignoring some areas in the belly of the country.

Maodzwa community applauded their MP, Shepherd Mushonga, for the construction of the new classroom blocs.

Tsvangirai was in Mashonaland Central touring development projects in the area.

Earlier, Tsvangirai officially opened a clinic in Shopo, Mazowe Central Constituency.

The clinic will save the villagers from walking long distances to seek for medical attention.

“The development that is being undertaken in this constituency are for the benefit of everyone. Community participation is very important if we are to develop our areas,” said Tsvangirai.

He chastised suspected Zanu (PF) supporters who attempted to sabotage the official opening of the clinic.

“I heard that there are some people who were trying to stop you from coming to this ceremony. That is a clear example of how people easily get lost. This is not a Zanu (PF) clinic and neither is it an MDC clinic,” said Tsvangirai.

“Why do you politicise everything? All the women who will deliver babies here will not be asked about their political affiliation before they are admitted because the development that is taking place here is for everyone,” added Tsvangirai.

The clinic has been under construction for the 10 years with construction but MP for the area, Mushonga undertook to complete the project.

He applauded Hon Mushonga for working together with the community to develop the area. In some cases, the community moulded bricks, while in some instances they provided labour.

“Community participation is very important. Your community moulded bricks and performed other services that have contributed to this level of development. I thank you Hon Mushonga for the development thrust you have adopted,” said Tsvangirai.”

The Premier called for an end to violence saying that it retards development.

“For us to have this level of development we need peace. Stop violence. We did not build this clinic so that people can burn others from different political affiliations and then come to the clinic. Please you must co-exist and be tolerant,” said Tsvangirai.

He urged locals to protect the clinic and other facilities being developed in the area.