November 3, 2024
272A4600

…President achieves a lot in little time

Staff Reporter

Zimbabwe has witnessed massive infrastructure development projects since 2018, cutting across various sectors including roads, airports, border posts, electricity generation expansion, irrigation development, construction of dams, schools, clinics, schools and provision of tap water in rural areas.

It has not been easy, wanting to implement more projects requiring huge financial support, while using internally generated resources.

Every province has a high impact infrastructure project that is underway; it could be construction of schools, clinics and dams, or the revival of an irrigation scheme that stopped operations a long time ago, as the Government drives to attain an upper middle income society by 2030.

The Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa has also said no provinces will go about boasting that it is unfit for agriculture activities.

Through deployment of irrigation, all areas including those falling under agro-ecological region 5 where there is generally no rain, are now producing something, or will soon be producing as work is in progress to set up irrigation schemes and have been set up already.

Matabeleland North province appears to be the biggest beneficiary of the numerous development projects being implemented by the Second Republic.

The century old Lake Gwayi-Shangani project has finally started, and this time there are clear timelines to conclude the project.

The Lake Gwayi-Shangani initiative was mooted in 1912 but never saw the light of day since then until President Mnangagwa arrived on the scene.

Water from the huge Lake will benefit many small agriculture projects in Matabeleland North from Mabale right down to Bulawayo, about 252km away, where water challenges will soon be eliminated once construction has been completed.

So far, the contractor has done almost 37 metres of the Lake wall which will be 72 metres tall on completion.

The contractor is now working day and night as it seeks to meet the project deadlines.

Another massive infrastructure project in Matabeleland North is the expansion of the Hwange Power Station where Units 7 and 8 are being added.

The two units will add 600MW to the national grid, in a development that will considerably reduce loadshedding.

Presently, the project is 97 percent complete, with Unit 7 set to be switched on sometime in November this year.   

Taking stock of developments order by President for Binga

When the President visited Binga in March this year, he promised to initiate various life-changing developments for the benefit of people in the area, who say they had been lagging behind in terms of development since 1980.

Since the visit and promise by President Mnangagwa, Binga has already changed as people are already enjoying clean water from the Presidential Borehole Scheme.

Boreholes have been drilled for four out of 17 Chiefs and work is ongoing to provide water to other areas. 

In terms of roads, the District Development Fund has already completed Kalonga Road and done 8km on the Binga-Sengwa detour road. A bulldozer and grader are busy at work, as they fulfil the Presidential promise.

In terms of the Binga Polytechnic College, land has been acquired by the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education and the physical planning department officials are on the ground.

However, lessons have already started and up 50 students had obtained places to pursue their studies, as reported elsewhere in this magazine.

TelOne officials are also on the ground working on connecting Binga. Preference is being given to schools with electricity and computers.

Manjolo High and Binga High schools have already been connected to internet. 

In respect of the setting up of a School of Nursing, the Department of Physical Planning is on the ground in Binga, working on the designs of the School of Nursing.

Necessary preparations such as site identification and pegging, have been done.

President Mnangagwa also ordered that the Binga District Hospital mortuary, which was not working and had a low carrying capacity, should be attended.

Work is in progress now and its carrying capacity has been increased from six to 12. 

A expecting mothers’ shelter is also being done at the Binga Hospital.

In respect of the Binga Border Post, the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS), has provided a rafter that will ferry people to and from Zambia once it has been commissioned.

Binga District Development Committee Mr Siansolo Land Kabome recently told the EDevolution Media that two immigration staff houses have already been built and administrative offices would be constructed soon.   

The border site has been identified and a temporary immigration office has been erected.

All along, people have been crossing illegally, with no revenue accruing to Government.

With regards to the fishing rigs handed over to Chiefs, youths and women groups by President Mnangagwa, the beneficiaries are already making some money and as they establish themselves, money would be generated.

The fishing rigs project is consistent with the President’s rural industrialisation agenda, as there are plans to start canning fish at some stage.

To boost food production and availability in the area, Binga wants to also benefit from water that will come from Lake Gwayi-Shangani so that irrigation could be started.

Work on the Siabuwa-Karoi Road is also underway. On completion the road will cut the distance between Harare and Binga by 400km.

Two places for irrigation have already been identified. 

At Bulawayo Kraal where 15 000 hectares would be opened up, Binga District wants to grow sunflowers, and they intend to set up a cooking oil making plant. 

Other key projects

No discussion is ever complete about Zimbabwe’s development trajectory under President Mnangagwa without talking about the New Parliament Building in Mt Hampden.

The New Parliament Building has been completed now.

United Arab Emirates billionaire has expressed interest in construction a Cyber City in Mt Hampden, where a new capital city would be.

A refreshing development relates to the construction of the Beitbridge Beitbridge Border Post.

Efficiencies have since improved at the new border post, and truckers no longer spend a lot of time there, a move that costs revenues for their companies.

Rehabilitation of the Harare-Beitbridge highway is in full swing and 352,87km have been completed. Bitumen World has done 81,3km, Fossil Contracting 78,4km, Masimba Construction 65,97km, Exodus 60km, Tensor Systems 60km, and trial section 7,2km.  

Infrastructure projects at a glance

  • Harare-Beitbridge highway (362km completed out of the entire 585km)
  • Makuti-Chirundu road rehabilitation and expansion
  • Dualization of Harare-Bulawayo and Harare-Mutare highways
  • Marondera-Wedza Road will cover 22km, cement stabilisation in progress
  • Rwenya Bridge Construction underway, to be opened on Christmas Day
  • Resealing and rehabilitation of 32km on Lower Gweru Road in progress
  • President ordered rehabilitation, widening of Beitbridge-Bulawayo-Vic Falls highway (1km done so far)
  • Mbudzi Roundabout interchange construction is underway
  • Mberengwa-West Nicholson Road rehabilitation underway
  • Modernisation of the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport at advanced stage
  • Binga Airstrip rehabilitation was in progress and expected completion date was October 28
  • Construction of Chinhoyi Court Complex is complete and commissioned
  • Construction of 30 clinics underway with some complete in Harare South and Cowdray Park in Bulawayo
  • Over 100 state-of the-art ambulances sourced and distributed to hospitals including Binga District Hospital
  • 220 houses for Beitbridge Border staffers 
  • Construction of Lupane Provincial Hospital underway
  • Kunzvi Dam construction in Goromonzi underway
  • Muchekeranwa, Marovanyati Dams completed
  • Tuli-Manyange Dam construction is in progress
  • Tugwi-Mukosi Dam completed
  • Rehabilitation of Morton Jaffray Waterworks 
  • Presidential Borehole drilling in Harare, Chitungwiza boosts clean water availability
  • Drilling of 35 000 boreholes across Zimbabwe underway   
  • Setting up of Chombwe Water Scheme in Chivi

Beyond infrastructure projects, the Second Republic has provided affordable buses under Zupco. The buses have been distributed countrywide, a move that has reduced fares.

Binga District had requested for two Zupco buses but President Mnangagwa gave them four.

More private sector buses were attracted to Binga and people no longer have transport problems.

Several mining projects have also been commissioned as investors took advantage of investor friendly policies. Notable projects are Karo Resources platinum project, Bravura platinum project, Great Dyke platinum project, Arcadia Lithium project, the Dinson Iron and Steel Company in Mvuma and the Energy Park project in Mapinga (Mashonaland West Province), among others.

State Universities shine

The Second Republic has launched the long anticipated Manicaland University of Applied Sciences. The university will be a boost for the people of Manicaland Province. 

Great Zimbabwe University has constructed the Simon Mazorodze School of Medicine and Health Sciences, which becomes the fourth facility that will train medical doctors in Zimbabwe.

At Bindura University of Science Education, President Mnangagwa recently commissioned an innovation hub, female student halls of residence and an engineering complex.

Midlands State University and the National University of Science and Technology also have innovation hubs as the Government wants them to take their rightful place in society of leading research.

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