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Sam Matema Correspondent
On 16 November 2023, The Herald carried a story on Dzapasi/Foxtrot Assembly point as a forgotten National Monument, and on 24 November 2023, it carried a story on the Murambinda-Birchenough Bridge Road: The hidden treasure.
I have heard that President Mnangagwa is an avid reader of local newspaper publications and watcher of the main news bulletin on ZTV.
From the foregoing, I have no doubt that he did read The Herald articles on Dzapasi Assembly Point and the Murambinda-Birchenough Bridge road.
Listening is a soft skill, and for listening to the call from Buhera in light of the neglect that was so evident, we can only, but celebrate him and his team for the servant leadership that is on full display.
From the date that one Barnard representing the Rhodesian forces and the late Cde Rex Nhongo (General Solomon Mujuru), representing ZANLA forces, shook hands at Dzapasi, from the day that the base Commander Cde Tonderai Nyika (Major-General Zimondi) left Dzapasi, this is a first that such an important place in the history of the liberation of Zimbabwe has been accorded and afforded the respect and honour that it deserves.
We bow our heads and say thank you President Mnangagwa!
Liberated zone
The President will walk into a district, to celebrate Independence Day at Murambinda Growth Point, where all the four constituencies overwhelmingly, with 63 percent of the total vote, voted him to become President of the Republic of Zimbabwe in the 2023 harmonised elections.
This was a seal of approval, and for returning the gratitude via a national event of the magnitude of the National Independence celebrations, we wish we had words of our own invention to express our joy and appreciation of the gesture as a district and province. One good turn deserves another.
Expectant district
Yes, it is a liberated zone, but very expectant as well on account of it having lagged behind in terms of key infrastructure development over the years.
Besides being designated a national monument in 2017, Dzapasi has not known any development befitting of a National monument and the role that it played towards the liberation of our great country. The district is expectant that Dzapasi will become a tourist destination of note post this year’s national independence celebrations.
Expectant that Dzapasi will be packaged together with Matendera national monument, Muchuchu and Kagumbudzi monuments and the equivalent of Chinhoyi Caves at Zvomwoyo.
We have our own Table Mountain in Gombe mountain, large water bodies in Marovanyati and Ruti dams which should support both agriculture and tourism.
The stunning balancing rocks along the Marabada hills stretching some 10km, should begin to sweat for the local economy.
We are expectant that key infrastructure across all sectors will begin to head north before and after the expected visit by the President.
The independence flame at Dzapasi
As the flame burns, so are the hopes and aspirations of the people of Buhera anchored on this great and historical place called Dzapasi which geographically is at the centre of Buhera District (87km from Birchenough Bridge and 85km from the border with Mashonaland East).
Seeing that we don’t have a district referral hospital, but a mission hospital at Murambinda, it is about time that we roll out our own Government District referral hospital right at the centre of the district.
How about upgrading Chiurwi schools to boarding schools with modern facilities to serve Buhera Central and South constituencies? How about putting up chalets across all the three Dzapasi bases that formed the assembly point so that there is enough accommodation for those that will visit the tourist attraction?
How about building a conference centre to provide strategic retreat facilities for corporates?
How about setting up a traditional grains processing plant at the centre of the district so that we value-add at source? From the foregoing, the ministries of Tourism, Education, War veterans, Agriculture, Home Affairs and Health converge and intersect at Dzapasi Assembly Point as we push for the industrialisation of Buhera District, and the potential for that is huge.
A bright future beckons
Because you are a listening President, who chose Buhera because you heard our distress call, we are excited because you will hear about it and see the poor state of our infrastructure up close.
We are happy that under your leadership, and through the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), which is housed in your office, Chadzire River bridge which was washed away in 1985 is work-in-progress now scheduled for completion this year.
However, where everyone intersects with respect to prioritisation of projects is the tarring of the Murambinda-Birchenough Bridge Road.
This is a key enabler that will unlock the vast potential residing in the whole district and beyond. This is now very emotional a project.
Promises were made a thousand-and-one times in the First Republic, but they were never followed through.
The Second Republic is credited for being pragmatic under the command of a doer, and that is what is feeding our confidence that a major statement will be made in terms of actualising the pronouncement that was made at the commissioning of the Sabi Star Mine in Buhera.
With a good road network, industrialisation of Buhera District will be accelerated as per the NDS1 prescriptions and the efforts and thrust of the locals.
As we work towards climate-proofing our farmers by tracing our way back to traditional drought resistant crop varieties, working with the Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) innovation hub who have given tremendous support thus far, the produce will find easy access to markets.
Just to turn back the hands of time, once upon a time, at the dawn of our independence, there were 16 functioning fuel service stations between Birchenough Bridge and Marenga/Murambinda which all went under.
They went under because we took a wrong turn in terms of emphasis and priorities as soon as the comrades left Dzapasi in the euphoria of independence.
The future looks bright on account of the potential growth of Dzapasi as a tourist destination supported by a hospital, agro-processing plant, boarding school and conference facilities.
At district level, the huge lithium deposits, phosphate, gold and diamonds in the district should be extracted and beneficiated locally so that the local economy benefits.
Great convictions
Convicted to the fact that “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo” mantra, and convicted to the power of collective effort, Buhera Development Forum (BDF), which is a group of like-minded sons and daughters of Buhera District at home and in the diaspora, who came together to share ideas on how to take the district up the scaffold of development, and to mobilise resources for the same cause.
Such efforts are applauded.
They are doing that because, Your Excellency, you are short on speeches but long on delivery, and BDF picked the correct notebook. They are taking notes.
Convicted to the fact that we do what we have to do where we are with what we have, there is a general consensus that the resources dotted around the district should sweat for the benefit of the generality of the locals. This speaks to the different resources – human, capital and natural.
Convicted to the need for devolution at all levels, the “living no one and no place behind” mantra rings true with respect to the National Independence celebrations that are being taken to different provinces on rotational basis since last year when Mashonaland Central Province hosted the celebrations in Mt Darwin.
Now is Manicaland’s turn.
Convicted to the selfless sacrifice of the gallant fighters, the living and the departed sons and daughters of the soil, who for want of a free and independent Zimbabwe, offered themselves as the ultimate price. Their sacrifice was priceless. We owe them and can never pay the debt.
Convicted to the big announcements that the President always make on big events, we keep our fingers crossed and dare not uncross them as Manicaland, and Buhera district in particular. What I know is that, it will be a big announcement.
Time will tell, it is the greatest equaliser, and for sure, it will provide the answers.
That Buhera’s hour is now admits of no debate. As the sun of underdevelopment and neglect is going down, the rising sun of development is visible, and thanks to the Second Republic and the forward-focused and servant leadership of the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.
Twalumba!
Hon Sam Matema is MP for Buhera Central constituency and ZANU PF Manicaland Province Spokesperson, and writes here in his personal capacity.
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