By Chipo Gudhe
Zimbabwe’s Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) party leader, Nelson Chamisa, said mineral resources should uplift local communities and construct essential health facilities. Chamisa made the call at a rally at Donsa, Silobela a region he pointed out as having potential because of its abundant mineral resources which if used equitably can capacitate local medical facilities in the area.
“We have enough mineral resources here in Silobela to capacitate our Silobela District Hospital so that it will be a modern and state of the art hospital. We have 60 minerals in our country and those are enough to transform lives across the country however those resources are benefitting a few elites. Despite having gold deposits here in Silobela people are impoverished. I was in Gokwe, despite it being a cotton hub, people there move around in rags because there is no leadership,” he said.
Chamisa expressed concern over the deplorable state of hospitals across Zimbabwe. He lamented the inadequate healthcare infrastructure, which has left many citizens without access to proper medical care.
Chamisa criticized leaders from the ruling party, Zanu PF, who often seek medical assistance outside of Zimbabwe, emphasizing the need for investment in domestic healthcare services.
“Our hospitals must not be death traps, our hospitals must save lives. We have a crumbled health system that has collapsed following years of neglect. It is unacceptable that our hospitals are in such a dire state while our leaders seek medical help elsewhere. We need to prioritize the well-being of our people and invest in our healthcare system. We have leaders who travel to South Africa and India seeking medical attention, which will not be acceptable in our new government. We are going to restore our health systems and lure back doctors who have fled the country due to poor working conditions,” he said.
Chamisa’s rally in Silobela aimed to galvanize support for his party’s vision of revitalizing Zimbabwe’s economy and healthcare sector. The opposition leader emphasized that the government could improve healthcare infrastructure, provide essential medical equipment, and employ qualified medical professionals by channeling the revenue generated from mineral resources.
Silobela, known for its mineral-rich land, plays a crucial role in Zimbabwe’s mining industry. Chamisa argued that the district’s resources should not solely benefit elites but should be harnessed to uplift the local community.
