Gokwe poised for massive transformation

Beneficiaries include the Independence celebrations host school, Nyamuroro Secondary in Nembudziya, Nyamuroro Primary School, Nyamuroro Vocational Training Centre, Tafara Primary School in Gumunyu, Dukaupfu Secondary in Ward 13, Nembudziya, Tongogara Primary School in Ward 24, Gura Primary School (Ward 6, Chireya), Nembudziya Government High School, Chaminuka Primary School (Ward 20 Gumunyu), Rugare Primary School (Ward 18, Gumunyu), Nyamuponda Primary School (Ward 12, Nembudziya), Mhumha Secondary School (Ward 13, Nembudziya), Buno Primary School (Ward 36, Nembudziya), Kuedza Primary School (Ward 26) and Rubatsiro Clinic.

Herald Reporter

Gokwe is poised for massive transformation, with 74 village vocational training centres and school business units set to be completed ahead of the country’s 45th Independence celebrations.

The development will see at least 7 400 households having access to clean and safe water as the business units come with communal water points.

Village and school business units are being established under the ongoing Presidential Rural Development Programme, which seeks to radically improve rural livelihoods and transform rural communities into active economic participants.

Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) head of corporate communications and marketing Mrs Marjorie Munyonga said to date, 28 business units have been completed, while work on the remaining 46 is in progress.

Villages where the establishment of village business units is now at a very advanced stage include Nyika 2 (Ward 16, Gumunyu), Mabika (Ward 17, Gumunyu), Murota (Ward 10, Chireya), Tafirei (Ward 9, Chireya), Chiwa (Ward 4, Chireya), Dambamazura (Ward 7, Chireya), Hwadze 9A (Ward 20, Gumunyu), Mudavanhu (Ward 13, Nembudziya), Masutu (Ward 11, Nembudziya), Chimera (Ward 29, Kabuyuni) Madongwe (Ward 28, Kabuyuni) and Mukomboni (Ward 36, Nembudziya) among others.

Under the Presidential Rural Development Programme (PRDP) Government intends to drill a borehole in each of the country’s 35 000 villages, a borehole at each of Zimbabwe’s 9 600 schools and a borehole at each of the 4 500 vocational training and youth centres.

Mrs Munyonga said the boreholes form the anchor component for the establishment of the village, youth and school business units, typically comprising a solar-powered borehole, 10 000 litre water storage tanks, a 1-hectare drip technology garden, two fishponds and a communal water point.

Zinwa is the lead implementing agency for the Presidential Rural Development Programme and is responsible for infrastructure development.

Other implementing agencies are the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA), the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) and AFC Bank.

The business units are run as formal companies and on sound commercial lines with Arda being responsible for their registration and day-to-day management while the AMA develops the business case for them.