Online Reporter
Mashudu Netsianda in Binga
CONSTRUCTION of the long-awaited Civil Registry building in Binga District, Matabeleland North Province has resumed with major civil works now nearing completion as the Second Republic steps up the inclusive development drive.
The Civil Registry project, which initially started in 2000 but stalled for over two decades, is now 95 percent complete.
The revival of the project is within the framework of National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which aims to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.
The Binga Civil Registry building is one of 21 Government-led development projects underway in the district.
These were launched following President Mnangagwa’s 2022 visit, during which he committed to accelerating infrastructure and socio-economic development in one of the country’s most marginalised regions.
In an interview, Binga District Development Co-ordinator, Mr Land Siansole Kabome, confirmed progress on the Civil Registry building.
“The construction of Civil Registry building has commenced after a long break. The project started in year 2000 and is now 25 years old,” he said.
“The Second Republic has committed to complete the project in time and to date there is notable progress with activities on site going very well. The current activities are focused on the roof and it is at 95 percent complete.”
Mr Kabome said the Government through the Department of Civil Registry in partnership with Unicef recently conducted a mini mobile registration exercise in inaccessible reach areas.
“Under this blitz, Tyunga-Lunga Ward 1 in Binga District was targeted for the issuance of births, deaths and national identity documents.
“A total of 330 birth certificates, 12 deaths certificates and 335 ID documents were issued during this exercise,” he said.
Mr Kabome said the Civil Registry Department will officially open a Sub office in Tyunga–Lunga ward tomorrow.
“The established staff complement should be 29. There are 16 staff members in post, which translates to 13 vacant posts,” he said.
Turning to other critical infrastructure, Mr Kabome gave an update on the Binga-Siakobvu-Karoi Road, which is a strategic 345-kilometre corridor expected to cut the travel distance between Harare and Binga by 300km and boost tourism access to Kariba and the Zambezi Valley.
“Works to tar the 345-kilometre Binga-Siakobvu-Karoi Road commenced in 2022, through the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (Rida) with 10 kilometres completed.
“However, works have stalled since then due to lack of funding in the financial years 2023 and 2024,” he said.
“Each year, 10km were supposed to be worked on. Binga District is 30km behind to date on this initiative. Upon completion, the road will reduce travelling distance from Harare to Binga via Karoi by 300km.
The road is the major link and a tourist route with safaris, national parks as well as fishing camps in Kariba and along the Zambezi River.”
Efforts to improve access to clean water have also gained momentum, with 74 boreholes drilled so far by Zinwa and Rida, including 16 solarised boreholes installed at Chiefs’ homesteads, village business units, and community centres.
“We’ve partnered with development agencies to install an additional 49 boreholes, covering all 25 wards of the district.
“However, Binga Centre continues to face acute water shortages, impacting even critical institutions like Binga Hospital,” said Mr Kabome.
To address this, Zinwa has been allocated land by the local authority to construct a larger water reservoir to meet rising demand.
Furthermore, following appeals by Binga North traditional leaders in November last year, President Mnangagwa directed Zinwa to solarise the local water pump station.
Mr Kabome said while implementation has stalled, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) has since pledged to construct a solar plant at the pump station to ensure uninterrupted water supply.
Other projects, which the Government is implementing in Binga include the rehabilitation of roads, construction of a vocational training centre and a new border post, setting up of a nursing school at Binga District Hospital and the refurbishment and operationalisation of the hospital mortuary.
The Government completed the rehabilitation of the Binga Airstrip.
