Online Reporter
THE decentralisation, under the Second Republic, of the annual main national independence celebrations, rotating them through the provinces, is far from being just symbolic, although the symbolism is important as part of the drive to national unity.
The idea behind the switch was to ensure that all Zimbabweans felt included and were not just following something in the capital city.
Even the choice of venues has gone far beyond provincial capitals and moved to small towns or even the larger business centres.
While the ceremony is in one such small centre, and however inclusive the Government is, it is impossible to rotate it through all small towns, that majority of the population who do not live in cities and major towns do feel that their interests are being brought to the top of the national agenda.
In other words, they are not for all practical purposes second class anymore and that is one major gain of inclusivity.
They are not being left behind.
This year’s choice of Maphisa in Matobo district of Matabeleland South is doubly important.
The Second Republic has pushed hard to make it clear that all Zimbabweans, in all parts of all provinces, are equal citizens and entitled to practical and equal inclusion in the nation, moving from a theoretical Constitutional right to something that works on the ground.
When Maphisa was chosen through the consultative process to host the 46th anniversary national celebration, some heavy lifting over several months was required to convert the name on the map to a centre that could host a national event.
Early work concentrated on infrastructure, roads, schools and clinics.
Matobo district in general needed a thorough brush up, with roads graded, schools fixed up and the clinic network brought up to modern standards. Around Maphisa the work was more intense.
At Mahetshe Primary and Secondary schools new classroom blocks, science laboratories, teachers’ houses and modern ablution facilities were built.
This accelerated development was needed and had been planned; but in any case with school children coming in for their special event and other visitors for the main event, a school with proper facilities and bathrooms was essential.
A venue for the national celebrations was required, and while in theory this could just be something temporary in a field, a proper football stadium was built.
The 5 000-seater stadium is primarily designed as a permanent asset, and that meant that ground had to be levelled, drainage put in, ablution blocks and changing rooms built and all the rest.
We hope that this stadium will be well-used in Maphisa and the surrounding area to upgrade local sports teams, since they have a respectable home ground, and for other local and travelling events so there is enough revenue to keep the stadium in tip-top shape.
Tenting will be erected to supplement the 5 000 seats for the main national event, but that seating should be more than enough for all local and district events, football games and other entertainment for many years to come.
The local airstrip is being upgraded.
These little airstrips used to be ubiquitous around Zimbabwe, although upgraded roads and helicopters for emergencies, including medical evacuation, have tended to devalue them.
But when functioning they are useful for top tier tourist trade.
Local people have been extremely appreciative, and local businesses have been benefiting from the policy of hiring local and contracting local as much as possible.
They no longer feel left out.
It cannot be stressed enough that the preparations for the national independence celebrations are not just something temporary, but rather a spate of accelerated development of permanent assets for the centre and surrounding district, and an economic injection that should push the district into self-sustaining growth and development.
The mood in Maphisa is they feel included, feel part of modern Zimbabwe, and want to play their part in helping Zimbabwe grow.
That feeling of inclusiveness is the goal of the Second Republic in rotating national events, with special emphasis on the small centres rather than cities, and in Maphisa the policy has certainly been an outstanding success.
