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Fungai Lupande
Mashonaland Central Bureau
The Kanyemba area in Mbire district is set for major transformation under the Second Republic as several developmental projects such as road construction, border modernisation and electrification take shape.
Kanyemba is one of the areas that have been identified for rapid transformation given its ability to generate massive income for the country from tourism.
Already, the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has constructed power lines to all Government institutions and put in place everything required for the electrification of Kanyemba, including transformers.
Zesa Holdings’ electricity and distribution arm, ZETDC, is presently constructing two power line towers.
One of the towers will be at the intake point on the Zimbabwean side and another at the take off point on the Zambian side.
Mr Winston Vhadhiyi from Chapoto village said some people had already bought refrigerators, a home appliance they never dreamt of owning.
Mr Vhadhiyi, who is also the Chapoto Development Trust chairperson, said he owned a cylinder and an electric pump, which he wanted to use to start a business once electricity was switched on.
“I also want to open a butchery and I have already applied for a commercial stand,” he said.
“They are delaying in connecting the electricity because everyone is anxious.”
The 29,55km of 33/0,4Kv high voltage line stands at 99 percent completion while the 1,9km line at Chapoto is at 95 percent completion.
REA public relations and marketing executive, Mr Johannes Nyamayedenga, said people in Kanyemba awaited the completion of the power line with excitement.
The power line is expected to propel massive development in agriculture, tourism and fisheries in the area.
“We have completed construction of the line from the take-off point from Zambia across Zambezi into Zimbabwe,” said Mr Nyamayedenga.
“Two towers are needed on both sides before electricity can be transported to different beneficiaries and consumers.
“We have constructed lines which lead to all the beneficiaries.
“What we have not done is to mount transformers before electricity is connected due to theft and vandalism of national infrastructure.”
Mr Nyamayedenga said all the required transformers were available and would be mounted once ZETDC switched on electricity.
“Nothing is missing from the REA side and it will take us only three days to mount the transformers once everything is in place,” he said.
“We have constructed a power line for a company doing an irrigation project in Kanyemba. They have a solar plant and they requested a power line.
“There is going to be serious agricultural activities. People are doing fishery businesses, but they don’t have electricity for storage facilities. There are lodges and resort areas in Kanyemba, which don’t have electricity while across the river, there is electricity.”
Provincial irrigation engineer, Tapiwa Mhlanga, said a solar plant of 1,1 megawatts had been established for the 176 hectares of communal irrigation in Kanyemba.
“Completion of the solar plant is at 95 percent and we have installed 11 centre pivots,” he said.
“The mainline trenching and pipeline laying is in progress and pump procurement has been done.
“REA was on site working on the backbone line from Zambezi River to Mwazamutanda area.”
Eng Mhlanga said the Mushumbi/Kanyemba commercial irrigation project had a target of 15 000 hectares and work was in progress on 4 176 hectares.
Land clearing was done on 330 hectares on the first site, while 400,43 hectares is complete on the second site and the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) is in the process of fencing the cleared land.
Mbire Rural District Council chairperson Alderman Robson Chidongo said the solar plant was one of the big projects in Kanyemba, and would transform agricultural activities.
“The Government is working tirelessly to transform Kanyemba into a town. We see the electrification process taking shape and this will improve livelihoods of people here,” he said.
Chief Chapoto expressed gratitude over the developments in his area and said the long awaited power line was now a reality.
“Electricity lines are now there at all Government institutions, including schools and clinics and people who are working on the power line are on the ground,” he said. “A few things are outstanding and soon, Kanyemba will be electrified. People are excited.”
Mr Thomas Cement from Mbire said people in the area had no access to mobile telephone network coverage due to lack of electricity.
“This will soon be a thing of the past,” he said. “At the moment, people in Kanyemba are not reachable on mobile phones despite having communication boosters due to lack of electricity.
“People of the VaDoma tribe and the Chikunda will not be left out in national development due to technology. We are very happy and waiting for the connection.”
Mrs Marceline Nyamasoka from Kanyemba said construction of the road and the electrification process would greatly improve their livelihoods.
Online Reporter