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Patrick Chitumba and Freedom Mupanedemo, Midlands Bureau
THE planned opening of one of Southern Africa’s biggest steel plants, the US$1,5 billion Dinson Iron and Steel Company (Disco) Manhize plant in Mvuma before December will transform the Midlands Province into a massive industrial hub, Vice-President Dr Constantino Chiwenga, said yesterday.
The world-class integrated iron and steel plant would tap into a resource base that is estimated to last for 100 years.
It comprises a carbon and steel plant, an iron ore mine, and a ferrochrome plant, which will also result in over 10 000 people benefiting through employment across value chains.
The massive investment is one of the fulfilled promises under the Second Republic which has scored numerous successes in the implementation of high-impact development projects covering different sectors of the economy.
VP Chiwenga said this while addressing thousands of Zanu-PF party supporters who thronged Mkoba Stadium in Gweru for a Mkoba North and Mkoba South constituencies rally where he urged the masses to vote for the ruling party.
Since coming into power in 2017, he said President Mnangagwa has led from the front in ensuring that the revolutionary party delivers on its election promises.
“We are here in the Midlands province today, the province that is turning out to be the country’s industrial hub under the Second Republic,” said the VP.
“This is also one of the many positives to be realised in the country under the Second Republic. You, the people of Mkoba and the country at large, must therefore vote resoundingly for President Mnangagwa and the revolutionary party so that the Second Republic can go ahead with its promise to grow the economy in line with Vision 2030.”
He said the revival of Ziscosteel in Redcliff was also underway adding that mining companies in the province such as Murowa Diamonds in Zvishavane, Unki Mines in Shurugwi and Mimosa Mining Company in Zvishavane were also expanding and employing more people.
The Second Republic has already set the tone to rehabilitate and construct a new road network with the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road being the latest.
He made reference to the transformation of the agriculture sector, renewed mining and manufacturing sector investments, growth in exports, strides in job creation, international re-engagement and engagement, among other success as symbols of the Zanu-PF leadership’s commitment to changing people’s lives.
These are being achieved under the National Development Strategy (NDS1), which builds momentum towards the attainment of an upper middle-income economy by 2030.
As the country heads toward the elections, VP Chiwenga said Zimbabweans must take stock of the progress made under Zanu-PF and compare these with the failures of opposition parties.
“The Second Republic under the leadership of President Mnangagwa has delivered on its promises with numerous high-impact investments covering different sectors of the economy being harnessed amid innovative strides by higher and tertiary learning centres, robust infrastructure development projects, and increasing domestic production,” he said.
For instance, VP Chiwenga said the Second Republic has succeeded in ensuring that there is food self-sustenance with good yields realised from the Pfumvudza/Intwasa, Presidential Climate-Proofed Cotton Inputs, Presidential Goats Scheme, Presidential Poultry Scheme, Presidential Fisheries Scheme, Presidential Tick Grease Scheme, and Presidential borehole drilling interventions.
“President Mnangagwa is a man of action and everything that was promised under the Second Republic is being fulfilled,” he said.
“We have the provincial councils that will be spearheading development in all the country’s provinces. The Second Republic is also revamping the health system through the construction of more health facilities across the country. There will be provincial pharmacies that will stock all the medication.”
Under the Second Republic, Zimbabwe has been driving massive coal-to-energy development projects with the US$1,5 billion Hwange Power Station units 7 and 8 now completed.
“As a country, we said goodbye to Zesa challenges with the commissioning of units 7 and 8 at Hwange and that has brought to an end load shedding. If we experience power challenges, it will be because of maintenance works being carried out,” said VP Chiwenga.
“We want to commence power generation at every dam that is being built so as to produce more power for production and exportation.”
He said the Second Republic was also working on revamping the country’s rail and road infrastructure starting with the construction of a new railway line from Binga to Gweru’s Dabuka.
“The Second Republic will also revive the electric railway system through an agreement, which was made between Zimbabwe and India.
“The Government recently sealed an agreement to revamp the railway system with India, a deal that will see the country receiving a number of trains and locomotives from that country,” he said.
VP Chiwenga said the Government has a programme to demolish old suburbs like Mbare in Harare, Mtapa in Gweru and Makokoba in Bulawayo, and building modern high-rise buildings
“For 23 years, the opposition has run down urban councils and it is high time that you do away with them by voting for Zanu-PF councillors. Refuse collection and sewer reticulation system is pathetic in all urban councils and the Second Republic will be reviving all this after elections,” he said.
VP Chiwenga said as the nation prepares for August 23, peace should prevail in the country and urged Zimbabweans to uphold the values of unity and love. He noted that Gweru was a special city as it was in Mtapa Hall where the first Zanu congress was held in 1964.
“Gweru is a special and sacred city and it is where national heroes such as Cdes Nikita Mangena, Josiah Tongogara, Leopold Takawira, Cephas Msipa and Richard Hove among others hailed from,” said VP Chiwenga.
“Even other party stalwarts such as the late Vice-President Cde Simon Muzenda and the late Father Zimbabwe Dr Joshua Nkomo started their political journeys in the Midlands. These liberation luminaries should be remembered when people go to vote on August 23.”
Mkoba North and Mkoba South constituencies will be represented by Cdes William Gondo and Cde Wellington Magura respectively while Gweru Urban will be represented by Cde Alex Mukwembi.
Online Reporter