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Zvamaida Murwira
Senior Reporter
Newly appointed Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution responsible for Manicaland province, Cde Nokuthula Matsikenyere yesterday pledged to transform the province into an investment hub riding on the back of the presence of all five ecological regions.
Minister Matsikenyere took oath of office at State House on Monday before President Mnangagwa alongside three other newly appointed Ministers and Deputy Ministers.
In an interview, Minister Matsikenyere said the province was endowed with vast resources yet to be fully utilised for the development of the area and contribute towards the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) pursuance of Vision 2030 enunciated by President Mnangagwa.
“Manicaland has all the five ecological agricultural regions and is endowed with vast resources which need to be fully utilised for the development of the province in order to increase its GDP in line with devolution. There are several developmental projects such as Sakubva urban renewal, building a smart city,” she said.
Minister Matsikenyere said she will carry on from where her predecessor, Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba left off.
“Infrastructural development is key to the overall development of the province, rehabilitation of roads to continue especially in places affected by the recent natural disasters, improving the livelihoods of the people in affected areas by rehabilitating damaged schools, clinics and houses and offering food aid,” she said.
“There are institutions and places we ought to work on. They include establishing an industrial hub, gemmology centre, and diamond cutting and polishing centres to be built where value addition of diamonds will take place instead of exporting raw materials.”
Minister Matsikenyere said she will also work towards improving the lives of women, youths and those living with disability.
“There is mining both alluvial and reef, those youth who had formed groups to be given claims and funding to be sourced for projects to go on. Organise illegal miners into formal groups and assist them to operate legally through Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to avoid accidents where people are being trapped daily due to lack of necessary training and equipment,” she said.
“There will also be activity in the area of bee keeping projects collaborating with Allied timbers that would provide free beehives, land to be allocated to organised groups of youth to carry out bee keeping projects.”
Other areas include fish-farming and bakery to empower women and young girls in collaboration with Women’s Bank that will provide loans.
“I will strive to have macadamia processing plant opened in Chipinge. Banana processing plant to be opened for value addition in Burma valley. Investors are welcome in line with His Excellency, the President’s mantra of ‘Zimbabwe is open for business’. There are vast avenues still to be explored,” she said.
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