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offered to President Mugabe in appreciation of the land reform programme that benefited thousands of previously marginalised indigenous Zimbabweans.
Mrs Smelly Dube built the house and a water booster station in Woodlands Park through her company, River Valley Properties (RVP) Private Limited.
Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister Ignatius Chombo commissioned the house and the water booster station on behalf of President Mugabe yesterday.
The house is worth more than US$50 000 and the booster pump cost more than US$500 000 and will supply water to more than 4 300 households in Hertfordshire Phase 1 and 2.
More than 1 000 medium and high density residential stands were also handed over to civil servants in the city by the company which would avail building material on monthly basis payment.
Mrs Dube said she was motivated by what President Mugabe did for the people in building the house.
“I grew up admiring the works of the President and when I got land through the land reform programme I believed I would achieve the goal of giving back to the community on behalf of our revolutionary leader,” she said.
“The President will use the house in whichever way he chooses.”
Minister Chombo thanked Mrs Dube for constructing the house for the President and availing residential stands to ordinary people, including civil servants.
“She saw it befitting to give the house to President Mugabe and affordable residential stands to civil servants as an appreciation of the land reform programme,” he said.
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“She cherished what the President fought for during and after the liberation struggle.
“People have to vote wisely in the forthcoming elections since many realised the huge mistake they made in 2008.
“People in the Midlands province should this time choose a person with aspirations of the people at heart and not those with an objective to enrich themselves as evidenced by many councillors and senior officials in MDC-T.”
Minister Chombo said women were exemplary and had taken a major role in harnessing the fruits of the land reform programme.
“Co-operatives in major cities have failed to avail accommodation to desperate homeseekers and some have a tendency of constructing houses after stands have been serviced,” Minister Chombo said.
“It is important that stakeholders participate in fulfilling Government’s national housing delivery programme.
“It is gratifying to note that despite the economic setback experienced in the last decade, there has been a phenomenal achievement in the provision of housing in urban settlements,” Minister Chombo said.
He said the Gweru City Council should desist from repossessing houses which people have been renting for more than 15 years.
Minister Chombo said council should offer the tenants a chance to buy the properties.
Midlands Governor and Resident Minister Jason Machaya said President Mugabe would use the house or offer it to a poor family of his choice.
Online Reporter