The Sunday Mail
Cde Douglas Karoro was recently elected to represent the people of Mbire in the National House of Assembly, in by-elections held on September 19.
Cde Douglas Karoro
On Wednesday he was sworn-in, together with Cdes Lawrence Katsiru who won the Marondera by-election), and Zalerah Hazvineyi Makari who won the Epworth by-election that same day.
For Cde Karoro, the dream to represent his people has finally come true, having joined Zanu-PF’s structures soon after completing high school in 1995.
“I have always been passionate about politics and soon after completing my high school, I joined the party ranks. This passion was heightened when I began a 10-year journey as a development worker.
“This brought me closer to the people and I could see first-hand all the challenges that faced people in our constituency,” he recalled last week as he made preparations for Wednesday’s swearing-in ceremony.
With about two years to go before the next elections, set for 2018, Karoro has set himself realistic targets.
“I don’t want to promise people what I cannot deliver and being an MP does not mean that the development that will come to my constituency will be from my resources, but that I will be the driver of that development. I will propose an all-stakeholder approach to mitigating some of the challenges that we face in Mbire.
“We have Government on one hand, council on the other, the communities as well, non-governmental organisations, businesspeople and if we all put our heads together we can achieve what we want to achieve.
“For instance, there is the issue of the two bridges, the Sapa and Hambe bridges, that is at the top of the agenda for Mbire.
“We have to make sure that in the coming two years, before our term comes to an end, we should have repaired the two bridges as they are central to trade and movement of people in the district.”
And how does he intend to be different from his predecessors?
“Most of the previous MPs were not resident in the constituency and were not conversant with the challenges obtaining.
“Once they were voted in, they returned to their bases in the capital and only came back towards campaigns. I am resident in Mbire, have worked my entire working life within the community and know what it means to be resident here. It is time to make a difference.”
Being one of several constituencies along the country’s borders, the challenges faced by Mbire are many, though not insurmountable, says the 43-year-old legislator.
“We have probably some of the country’s worst road networks and it is our hope that when we receive road construction and maintenance equipment, we should get down to business and make sure our constituency is easily accessible.”
For a constituency that is always at the receiving end of weather vulgaries, be it rain or sunshine, Karoro says the long-term solution to the food crisis afflicting Mbire is migrating to small grains.
“It is everyone’s admission that we cant and wont produce maize in our constituency, so the earlier we migrate to smaller grains, the better.”
