Chronicle Editor
Wallace Ruzvidzo, Zimpapers Elections Desk
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa today heads to Centenary, Mashonaland Central Province for a Star Rally that is expected to be another huge success, as Zanu-PF continues to demonstrate its indomitable mobilisation prowess ahead of the August 23 harmonised polls.
The ruling party is equally upbeat about the rally today which is the fifth one after Chipinge, Bulilima, Magunje and Zaka star rallies in as many weeks.
It is yet another opportunity for the ruling party to demonstrate its popularity.
The Second Republic has turned around the fortunes of Mashonaland Central Province and turned it into a hive of economic activity through its sound policies.
Major economic activities in the province are agriculture and mining, but it is also endowed with tourist attractions including Mavuradonha Wilderness, Kanyemba Corridor, Dande Safaris, Umpfurudzi Game Reserve, Chesvingo Ruins and Tsambe Game Park dotted around its eight districts.
A total of 727 projects are currently being implemented in the province, pursuant to the Second Republic’s devolution strategy, with 581 of them having already been completed and 146 at various stages of completion.
Major projects that have been spearheaded in the province by President Mnangagwa’s administration include the rehabilitation and upgrading of key water infrastructure as climate proofing of commercial agriculture is a panacea to the restoration of the nation’s breadbasket status.
To this end, the Second Republic has rolled out four major dam projects in Mashonaland Central including Semwa dam, Bindura dam, Dande dam and Mbada (Silverstroom) dam to support irrigation, aquaculture, water supply, hydro-power generation, and recreational activities.
On the mining front, through the conducive economic environment that has been ushered by President Mnangagwa, the province is making invaluable contributions towards the country’s US$12 billion mining economy target and has seen the resuscitation, prospecting and opening of mines.
The resuscitation of Eureka and Shamva Gold Mines; Muzarabani oil and gas prospecting and drilling, and the establishment of the Guruve Women Gold Milling plant, which is benefiting a co-operative of 125 women and is accessible to other artisanal miners, are just but some of the milestones that have been achieved in the province’s mining activities.
The rehabilitation and construction of roads and bridges in the province has vastly improved the trafficability and accessibility to communities within the province.
Consequently, more than 7 000km of road were rehabilitated through tow and motorised grading across the province’s eight districts.
Pembi, Karanda, Karoi, Chitsato, Sapa and Hambe bridges were also constructed in Muzarabani, Guruve and Mbire districts.
Devolution funds have also been a game changer and enabled the construction and rehabilitation of public service infrastructure including the construction of 13 rural health centres and two model schools, the upgrading of 14 rural schools and repair of five storm damaged school infrastructure.
The establishment of Chahwanda, Bveke, Kaitano, Kamutsenzere and Chigango piped water schemes, drilling of 50 boreholes and rehabilitation of 300 others, has also gone a long way in alleviating water challenges in the province. Under devolution funds, roads have also been maintained and rehabilitated.
Online Reporter