‘Housing key for Zim-Asset’

Herald Reporter
People in rural areas have been urged to take part in the implementation of the Government’s economic blueprint, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation, by initiating housing projects in their communities. The call was made by several speakers at the ground-breaking ceremony for thousands of residential stands being serviced by the Zimbabwe Amalgamated Housing Association (ZAHA) at Checheche Growth Point in Chipinge on Saturday.

The development of the residential stands is part of a programme by the Chipinge Rural District Council to turn the sprawling growth into a town.

Addressing thousands of people who gathered for the groundbreaking ceremony at the growth point, Chipinge South Member of Parliament Cde Enock Porusingazi said ZAHA’s development of Checheche fitted well with the Zim-Asset agenda.

He thanked ZAHA for being pro-active in helping the Chipinge community to expand Checheche and make it realise its vision to turn into a town.

“Participate in the Zim-Asset in whatever possible way you can as people in the rural areas,” said Cde Porusingazi.
“In the Zim-Asset, before we have clusters like food and nutrition and value addition and beneficiation, we have the cluster on housing which is important to us as residents.

“For you to develop you need shelter. No people should continue staying under bridges and under trees, everyone should have a place to stay.”

Cde Porusingazi said it was important that ZAHA created employment for Checheche by employing youths on the housing project and awarding contracts to local transporters.

Speaking at the same occasion, ZAHA director-general Mr Killer Zivhu said their aim was to ensure that everyone had a home in Zimbabwe in line with provisions of the Zim-Asset.

“Zim-Asset is meant for everyone to have something to do to build a better Zimbabwe for all,” he said.
“You can participate in enhancing Zim-Asset from anywhere and you do not need a lot of money to participate in moving the Zim-Asset programmes forward.

“Wherever you stay, you must push the Zim-Asset agenda forward. Do it with your own effort for us to be able to build the country.
“For our stands when we finish with the roads and installing water lines, we will offer them to anyone who can come up with a payment plan suitable to them. We are not inclined much to those who work, we are saying everyone must be able to get a house despite how much they have and can make per month.”

Zimbabwe Local Government Association chief executive Mr Rodgers Mozhentiy said people in Chipinge needed to unite for them to successfully turnaround the fortunes of Checheche.

ZAHA is one of the organisations developing residential stands at Checheche after the Chipinge Rural District Council indicated it wanted to turn the growth point into a town.