THE Second Republic is shining the spotlight on communities that were previously deemed marginalised especially in the Matabeleland region in line with the Government’s thrust of leaving no place and no one behind in terms of development.
Local resources, through budgetary allocations, are being used to implement most of the projects.
For decades, people in some parts of Matabeleland region have complained of being marginalised with no major project having been implemented to uplift their lives.
President Mnangagwa’s rise to power is changing the developmental discourse, particularly in Matabeleland region.
Responding to questions from Chronicle, the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs in charge of monitoring and implementation of Government Programmes Dr Joram Gumbo said Government is uplifting marginalised communities so that they become self-sufficient.
Minister of State for Presidential Affairs in charge of monitoring and implementation of Government Programmes Dr Joram Gumbo
“Government is developing previously marginalised communities and completing once stalled projects across the country. A number of projects are being implemented in Binga District to move it from donor dependency to self-sufficiency. Projects funded by Government in Binga encompass the provision of fishing rigs, roads rehabilitation, construction of the Binga-Karoi road, a polytechnic college, schools and clinics, among other works,” said Dr Gumbo.
“The Second Republic has also provided funding to resume construction of stalled projects. The projects include the Lupane Government Complex, hospital buildings and staff accommodation. Completion of these projects will bring Government services to Lupane, the provincial capital city of Matabeleland North.”
The minister said devolution projects directly impact communities at local levels through improved access to services.
Dr Gumbo said most local authorities have been able to construct clinics in every ward, building and upgrading schools while providing solar-powered water schemes through Government funding.
“Rural areas are being developed through direct community-based projects. Every district is receiving devolution funding from Government, which is being used to construct schools, clinics, piped water schemes and access roads, among other people-centric projects. Implementation of the Rural Industrialisation policy has seen factories being set up in rural areas, and these include the following; the Amacimbi/Madora/Mopane Worms Value Addition Plant in Beitbridge, Matabeleland South Province; and the ARDA Jotsholo Milling Plant, Lupane in Matabeleland North Province,” said Dr Gumbo.
He said Government has also embarked on several rural transformation projects in a bid to reduce rural-urban migration.
Dr Gumbo said Government is implementing the climate-proof Pfumvudza/ Intwasa Presidential Inputs programmes targeting three million smallholder farmers this year.
The Second Republic is also implementing the Presidential Cotton Scheme, the Presidential Blitz Tick Grease Scheme, the Presidential Rural Development Programme, the Presidential Community Fisheries Scheme, the Presidential Poultry Scheme, Presidential Goat Scheme and Local Inventions and Innovations all in a bid to empower rural communities.
Dr Gumbo said ensuring that there is national food security is another highlight of President Mnangagwa’s Second Republic.
This has seen the country having enough grain to last the nation 11 months while policies are being implemented to move the country from rain-fed farming to one centred on irrigation.
He said through the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa), the Government is constructing 12 high-impact dams across the country, which will support irrigation farming.
One of the water bodies, Lake Gwayi-Shangani will transform communities in Matabeleland region.
“This will support rural industrialisation with recreational facilities and power generation under implementation across most dams. The Second Republic has turned long-time dam construction promises, some over centuries or decades ago, into reality,” he said.
“The construction of Lake Gwayi-Shangani, which is almost complete, will end Bulawayo water woes and turn Matabeleland North Province into a 10 000 hectare-greenbelt along the pipeline to Bulawayo, among other activities. Completion of the Tuli-Manyange Dam will revolutionise irrigation schemes and livestock production in Gwanda, Matabeleland South Province.”
Dr Gumbo said through the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme 2 (ERRP2) roads are being rehabilitated improving the trafficability of the roads.
He said the projects have also created employment for locals.
“The projects are transforming people’s livelihoods through direct and indirect engagements. Zimbabwe’s unemployment rate has been rising over the years owing to harsh economic conditions aggravated by the two-decade-long illegal economic sanctions imposed by the West as punishment for embarking on the Land Reform Programme,” said Dr Gumbo.
“The coming in of the Second Republic has resulted in most of the major projects being contracted to local construction companies. A case in point was the awarding of tenders to Bitumen World, Fossil Contracting, Masimba Construction, Exodus and Tensor Systems to work on the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway, employing thousands of locals and boosting businesses for local suppliers of goods and services.”
He said it is significant that Government is financing most of the key infrastructural projects through tax revenue and statutory funds.
Dr Gumbo said development partner grants have also come in handy to support the developmental trajectory while Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements are supporting Government’s initiatives.
“However, loans, grants and PPPs are hamstrung by the illegal and unjustified sanctions imposed by the West against Zimbabwe for various reasons, chief among them being the land reform programme. Despite this setback, the Government financed various high-impact projects,” said Dr Gumbo. – The Chronicle
