Staff Reporter
It takes a small group of people who work closely with President Mnangagwa to believe that when he makes a promise, he will deliver it.
Since November 24, 2017 when he became President of Zimbabwe, the President criss-crossed the country checking on areas that require revamping.
And wherever he has gone, he has promised at least one or more things, in respect of infrastructure development.
Many people have heard of the promises on radio, television or newspapers, and immediately dismissed the promises as “any other promise made by politicians”.
But President Mnangagwa is a rare breed of politician, he does not only promise, but delivers and during the process of delivery, he follows up, in some cases physically, to assess progress.
The people of Binga had the opportunity of hosting President Mnangagwa in the run up to the March 26 by-elections, as he went there drumming up support for the Zanu PF candidate for Binga North Constituency.
The President made a lot of promises including delivering fishing rigs to chiefs, women and youth groups, establishing a polytechnic, setting up a Nurses Training School, drilling boreholes, repairing roads, fixing and expanding the Binga District Hospital Mortuary and handing over an ambulance, among others.
All these promises, and many more have been fulfilled in one way or the other.
In terms of Binga Polytech, it has already opened doors and has so far enrolled 50 students in various programmes being offered.
Lessons are being conducted at the Binga Industrial Training College.
Binga Polytech has seven departments namely; Commerce, Automotive, Construction, Mechanical, Electrical, Applied Sciences and School of Hospitality and Tourism.
It offers the National Foundation Certificate and National Certificate courses.
Registration requirements are not too hard, as applicants for the National Certificate need just 5 Ordinary Level passes at Grace ‘C’ or better including English Language, Mathematics and a Science subject.
Those going for the National Foundation Certificate must have gone to school up to Form 2 level.
Some of the National Foundation Certificate courses include bookkeeping, business calculations, car and tractor maintenance, brick and block laying, drain laying and rural sanitation, bakery studies, basic welding techniques and ornamental horticulture.
Clearly, the courses are designed to impart life skills into the students such that by the time they finish, they do not necessarily go job hunting, but merely to approach the Zimbabwe Women’s Microfinance Bank and the Empowerbank in search for financial loans to buy equipment and raw materials then start their businesses.
The Zanu PF Women’s League has already led the way in teaching women to make bread and detergents in their communities, and reports suggest many beneficiary women no longer have challenges providing food for their families as they are supplying bread to their communities at low prices.
One of the pioneering students at Binga Polytechnic, Power Dickson Mudenda, said she never expected to have a tertiary education institution in the area given the general neglect since independence in 1980.
Mudenda is pursuing a National Certificate in Tourism and Hospitality Management.
In an interview on a recent visit to check if there has been progress since President Mnangagwa was last there, Mudenda said: “I am very happy that tertiary education has come closer to my home. Now I can do my school without incurring a lot of expenses especially on accommodation.
“Since this school was (caused to be) opened by the President, I am really happy and we are enjoying.”
She said after her studies, she plans to open her own business and employ other people.
Another student, also pursuing Tourism and Hospitality Management, Shonipani Mutale, said: “I am so thankful to the President who managed to bring Binga Polytech to Binga Centre. I finished my Advanced Level in 2019 then I failed to take up tertiary education due to inadequate resources. Now the polytechnic is near my home and I can do my studies at Binga Poly.”
Brenda Mugande, also pursuing a National Certificate in Tourism and Hospitality Management, said she was grateful to President Mnangagwa for taking tertiary education near her home.
“I am happy because I can afford to do my tertiary education at Binga Polytechnic. I completed my Form 4 in 2014 but due to challenges in getting opportunities to go further, I couldn’t pursue higher education.
“But now, the chance is here for me to upgrade myself. My only challenge is that of transport to get to college. I am afraid of elephants, so I think we should have some transport to take us to and from school,” said Mugande. A lecturer in the School of Hospitality and Tourism at Binda Poly, Ms Sukholuhle Mlilo, said enrolling 50 students had been a good start.
She said there was hope that more students would enrol for various other courses.
“For a start, I think we can’t complain. We gave 50 students at this point and as we go forward, will get more. We are still enrolling for 2022,” she said.
Ms Mlilo, who is also a lecturer at the Bulawayo School of Hospitality and Tourism, said the opening of Binga Poly was a great development for the area.
She added that as a lecturer, the opening of Binga Poly allows her to empower more people in communities, who will in turn, empower themselves when they get jobs and/ or create new jobs for others.
Consequently, that would lead to national development, she said.
Binga District Development Coordinator (DDC) Mr Siansolo Kabome said the opening of Binga Polytechnic would help sharpen the skills of people in the area.
“The polytechnic has already started and we want even those that dropped out of school at Form 2 level to be allowed to learn and acquire various skills. With those skills, they will become employers,” said Mr Kabome.
