Obey Musiwa-Herald Reporter
GOVERNMENT has surpassed its target of 220 000 housing units set under National Development Strategy 1 and has raised its goal to deliver one million units by 2030 under NDS2.
This was disclosed as the Government called for greater participation from citizens, entrepreneurs, and community leaders in national development during the second edition of the Zimbabwe Impact Awards (Zimpact), held in Harare on Saturday under the theme; “Celebrating Excellence. Inspiring Impact”.
The awards celebrated outstanding individuals whose achievements and contributions continue to shape Zimbabwe’s national narrative.
Speaking on behalf of the Deputy Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities Musa Ncube, the Ministry’s Director of Strategic Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Mrs Marian Mutenga, stated that national progress was “not the sole responsibility of the Government”, but “a collective effort” shaped by citizens, entrepreneurs, innovators, and community leaders.
“We are mandated to deliver one million housing units by the year 2030,” Mrs Mutenga said, adding that a house alone does not make a home.
She noted that the ministry’s mandate extends to building communities, and it welcomes partners to strengthen them.
Invoking President Mnangagwa’s mantra, she reminded attendees that the country is built by its citizens.
“Every project you complete, every job you create, every life you touch is a brick in the foundation of a new, prosperous Zimbabwe. Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo, brick by brick and leaving no one and no place behind,” she said.
Under the Second Republic’s Vision 2030, which aims for an upper-middle-income economy, housing is viewed not only as shelter, but as a driver for job creation for contractors, opportunities for entrepreneurs and stability for communities.
The ministry emphasised to the gathering that every business started and every job created adds to the national effort upon which the one million housing target depends.
Chivi Central legislator, Cde Exevia Maoneke, reinforced the theme of service.
Recalling a parliamentary visit to Beitbridge, where returnees from South Africa sought practical assistance rather than titles, he said: “True authority comes not from the power we hold over others, but from the service we provide to them.”
Zimpact Executive Director, Evermore Kangani, stated that the awards are merely a starting point, emphasising that future success depends on whether winners continue to create opportunities and serve others.
“Ladies and gentlemen, recognition is the entry point, not the destination.
“An award is wonderful, but what matters most is what we do after receiving it,” Mrs Kangani said.
She added that every Zimbabwean, regardless of their location, can contribute to the country’s progress rather than waiting for others to act.
Creative director, Mr Irvine Jones, concluded by stating that the true success of the event would be judged by the lasting change it leaves in people’s lives, rather than by the celebration itself.
“An award may recognise an achievement, but true impact is measured by what changes because we were here.
“The real measure of this occasion will be found in the lives that continue to be transformed by the work of the people we have celebrated,” Mr Jones said.
