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The Herald, July 26, 1990
Business people have been called upon by the Midlands governor to decentralise from big cities and towns and invest in the country’s growth points.
Opening a new Gokwe business, Gokwe Pharmacy, the governor, Cde Herbert Mahlaba, also called on commercial banks, finance houses and other financial institutions to adopt a more flexible and accommodating attitude towards the small investor, so that they could become an emerging “and not a submerging” businessman or woman.
The new pharmacy, opened by Mupasi Investments, would ensure that the people of Gokwe no longer needed to travel to either Kwekwe or Gweru to buy medicines, said Cde Mahlaba. Gokwe is one of the most successful “new towns” in the country.
He added however, that for this process of investment in the rural areas to be a success, it was imperative that local authorities should ensure the provision of adequate and efficient services, such as water, sewerage and administrative support.
“The question of title deeds in the growth points should also be resolved to stimulate real investment,” he said.
“You are lucky that Gokwe has been granted title deeds and is only awaiting instructions on how next to proceed.”
Cde Mahlaba also called on the Department of Physical Planning to plan and monitor the orderly development of growth points. – Ziana.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
Decentralisation or devolution is the process by which the activities of a country or organisation, particularly those regarding planning and decision-making, are distributed or delegated away from a central, authoritative location or group and given to smaller factions within it.
Under the Second Republic, the Government decided to pursue devolution to ensure the preservation of national unity in Zimbabwe, prevent all forms of disagreement and secessionism and the democratic participation in Government by all Zimbabweans.
The devolution process has already recorded a lot of positives in terms of development such as construction of roads, schools, clinics, Government offices in previously marginalised areas.
There has also been a lot of investment in rural areas especially in terms of mining, which has raised the profiles of areas such as Binga and Chirumhanzu, where the Manhize Steel plant is being constructed.
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