Gibson Mhaka Zimpapers Politics Hub
WHEN the last delegate leaves Chinhoyi after Zanu-PF’s 23rd National People’s Conference, the town’s most enduring achievement should not be measured only by speeches delivered or resolutions adopted, but by what remains for residents to use every day.
The gathering, running from October 12 to 17 at Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT), has accelerated infrastructure works across Mashonaland West’s provincial capital.
Roads are being rehabilitated, water systems upgraded, university facilities refurbished and public services strengthened.
These improvements place the conference within a familiar pattern in which hosting a major national event becomes an opportunity to bring forward development projects.
The most visible changes are on the roads.
Chinhoyi Municipality has been rehabilitating more than 11 kilometres of its network, with the total exceeding 16 kilometres when sections managed by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development are included.
The programme covers key routes connecting the central business district, residential areas, Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital and CUT.
Herbert Chitepo Road, Market Off-Road, the TM-CUT Road and ZP-Patel Road are among the routes receiving attention. Better roads can improve access to hospitals and schools, reduce vehicle maintenance costs, ease public transport movement and help businesses deliver goods more efficiently.
Rehabilitation on the Harare-Chirundu highway, alongside work on the Karoi-Siakobvu and Golden Valley-Sanyati roads, also gives the provincial programme a wider reach.
Water is another essential part of Chinhoyi’s legacy.
The municipality has struggled to meet demand, leaving some neighbourhoods with intermittent supplies.
A water augmentation programme is replacing ageing asbestos cement pipes with PVC to reduce leakages and losses, while later phases are expected to expand treatment capacity.
The planned increase from 22 million litres a day to 48 million litres, and eventually 84 million litres, would represent a substantial improvement if completed and maintained.
For residents, the real measure will be water flowing reliably from their taps after the conference.
That would support households, clinics, schools, industry and small businesses, while reducing the time and money families spend finding alternative supplies.
It would also help Chinhoyi attract investment, because dependable water is a basic requirement for economic growth.
At CUT, the improvements combine immediate preparations with benefits that can endure for years.
Ten student hostels have been refurbished, while sanitation facilities, grounds and changing rooms have been upgraded. Ten boreholes have been drilled to strengthen water security, and the university’s water treatment and reticulation system has also received attention.
The stadium and perimeter facilities are being improved, while a police post is under construction. These investments will continue to serve students long after the conference tents have been dismantled.
CUT is not merely a venue for a political gathering; it is an institution that trains the skilled workforce needed by the province and the country. Hence, better accommodation, water and sporting facilities improve the learning environment and help the university manage its resources more effectively.
The conference-linked projects extend beyond roads and the university. Zanu-PF leaders have toured the oxygen plant at Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital, which has a reported production capacity of 800 litres a day and is expected to serve the provincial hospital as well as district and mission hospitals.
If sustained, the facility could strengthen access to medical oxygen, a vital resource for patients requiring respiratory support.
Another project attracting attention is the proposed Trabablas City development, where a 28-hectare site is expected to provide at least 370 residential stands. Its long-term contribution will depend on implementation, access to utilities and whether the stands become part of a properly serviced settlement.
The hosting period also creates opportunities for hotels, lodges, transport operators, food suppliers, retailers and informal traders. Delegates and visitors generate demand, while local contractors and workers can gain income and experience.
Chinhoyi’s experience reflects a longer-standing approach to Zanu-PF conferences, where preparations for major party gatherings have also provided opportunities to upgrade infrastructure in host provinces and districts.
In 2013, the late former Zanu-PF national chairman, Cde Simon Khaya Moyo, highlighted investment in host provinces as a way of giving back to communities and recognising their contribution.
Earlier examples included the renovation of Umzingwane High School in Matabeleland South ahead of the party’s 2005 conference, improvements at Goromonzi High School in 2006, and the construction of a conference centre in Gweru for the 2012 gathering.
Those examples underline the potential of a conference to leave more than a temporary venue. Schools can benefit generations of learners, roads can connect communities to markets and services, and water projects can improve public health.
The lasting value, however, depends on the quality of the work and the commitment to maintain it after the national spotlight moves elsewhere.
Road surfaces require routine maintenance; pipes and pumps need funding and repairs; boreholes require servicing; and refurbished hostels must be kept in good condition.
Public institutions should report what has been completed, what remains outstanding and who is responsible for ongoing maintenance.
Residents, too, should be able to assess whether promises have translated into better services.
The conference theme, “From Resolutions to Results: Consolidating Economic Development and Deepening Economic Empowerment Towards Vision 2030”, gives this responsibility added significance.
Development cannot be judged by the speed with which a town is prepared for six days of proceedings, but by whether the resulting infrastructure advances everyday life and supports productive activity.
For Mashonaland West, the gathering has brought attention, investment and visible changes to its provincial capital.
The opportunity now is to extend those gains beyond the main roads and conference venue, ensuring that surrounding communities and ordinary residents share in the benefits. When delegates return home, the speeches and political discussions will become part of the conference record.
The roads, water pipes, boreholes, hospital oxygen plant and refurbished university facilities should continue serving people.
That is the legacy by which Chinhoyi will ultimately judge the conference, not simply that it hosted a national event, but that preparations helped leave the town better equipped for the future.
