Power line ushers in new beginning for Zimbabweans

TWO years ago, Mr Japhet Sibanda found himself grappling with the decision to leave his ancestral homestead, unaware of the significant transformation it would herald for Zimbabweans.

Stationed in Hope Fountain’s Village B on the outskirts of Bulawayo, Mr Sibanda’s uncertainty gave way to clarity when immense machinery and towering electricity pylons arrived, signifying the connection between his home and a momentous electricity power line project.

Fast forward to August 3, the date marked a pivotal achievement as President Mnangagwa commissioned Hwange Unit 7 and 8 expansion project, a monumental US$1,5 billion endeavour contributing a staggering 600MW to the national grid.

Mr Sibanda listened to the President’s address from his modest three-roomed house in Village B1, reflecting on the journey that led them to leave their old homes.

“On behalf of the Second Republic and indeed on behalf of the people of Zimbabwe, today we are witnessing the commissioning of Unit 7 and 8 here in Hwange.

“The journey began in April 2018 when I visited China and I had a meeting with the President of China, my brother Xi Jinping. In that discussion, I had a list of over 10 projects, which I was shopping for his assistance and he chose to make a political decision to support us.
“Energy is a critical enabler for our industrialisation and modernisation,” President Mnangagwa’s voice boomed over the radio.

While President Mnangagwa celebrated the milestone in Hwange, eight families in Village B1 were revelling in their own victory. The families had transitioned to new homes built by the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) following their displacement due to the construction of the 400kv transmission line linked to the Hwange Thermal Power Station.

These new homes, boasting a three-roomed central structure featuring a comfortable lounge and two bedrooms, along with a spacious thatched kitchen provided much-needed solace to those who had to relocate. With a Blair toilet situated a few steps away, the families marvelled at the sense of dignity and improved living conditions the homes provide.

Mr Sibanda, a father of four, bubbled with happiness, struggling to find words to aptly convey his gratitude towards the Government for upholding their promise of new homes.

“We moved into the new homes at the end of June when a team from ZPC came to hand over the homes to us. They said the old homes are no longer safe to live in when the electricity is switched on from Hwange and had to be demolished.

“As you can see, there are four families here because we are all from the Sibanda clan. My mother, two brothers and my family were relocated here in the same area and they built us these houses,” Mr Sibanda. His new home is a walking distance from the old homestead whose demolished structures now sit directly under the power line.

“To be honest, the old homestead was made up of pole and dagga houses, it was uncomfortable to live in. During the rainy season, water would drip into the houses and in the winter season, we had to light a fire inside the house to keep warm.

“I’m very happy with the new homes, the rooms are big, the children have a separate bedroom to sleep in, our dignity has been restored,” added Mr Sibanda.

He says their lives have improved compared to when they were living in the old homesteads.
“Our livestock still graze in the same grazing lands, we still have our fields so nothing has really changed except that we are now proud owners of beautiful homes, which we would not have afforded to build with our own money,” he said.

Almost a kilometre from Mr Sibanda’s new home, 56-year-old Ms Mary Dlamini sits outside a three-roomed house with fresh white paint. She is also a beneficiary of the ZPC built homes.

“Our old home is just over there. The children still go to the same school. It was just like someone saying that we must destroy our old house and move into new ones for free,” says Ms Dlamini as she pointed at the old homestead, a stone’s throw away.

At the time the new homes were handed over to the affected villagers, Power and Energy Development Minister Soda Zhemu thanked the villagers for leaving their land to make way for the project.

“Ladies and gentlemen, while working on this project, 72 households had to be relocated to pave way for the construction of the new 310-kilometre high voltage transmission line intended at evacuating the power generated by the two new units to Insukamini.

“Given the foregoing, I am pleased to note that today, we have 29 families who will become new owners of state-of the-art homesteads built under the Hwange 7 and 8 Expansion project” said Minister Zhemu.

The Second Republic remains steadfast in its commitment to address Zimbabwe’s power challenges. The synchronisation and resounding success of Unit 7 and 8’s output have not only ensured enhanced power generation but also an enduring supply.