adminThe move is in line with the country’s indigenisation policy.
Matabeleland North follows other four provinces in the history of the country, which have launched the CSOT/S.
Similar initiatives have been done in Matabeleland South, the Midlands, Mashonaland West and Manicaland.
Hwange Colliery board chairperson Mr Farai Mutamangira presented a $10 million cheque to the Hwange Community Trust on behalf of the five coal mining companies that operate in the district.
Mr Mutamangira said $3 million cash has been raised so far as seed capital for the scheme to get rolling.
Mr Ian Saunders who represented New Dawn Group of Mines pledged $4 million to the scheme and said $1 million was set aside for the Bubi Community Trust.
New Dawn owns Duration Gold, Isabella and Lonely Mine, which operate in Bubi District.
China-Sunlight Africa presented a cheque of $1 million for Lupane Community Trust while PPC handed over $1,5 million for Umguza Community Trust.
Altogether the qualifying companies brought $4 million in seed capital to the trusts.
Tsholotsho, Nkayi and Binga Community Trusts were also launched although no funding was set aside for them.
Launching the scheme, President Mugabe said the initiative was a demonstration of the Government’s sensitivity to developmental needs of the people.
“We are gathered in Hwange today to demonstrate that Government, that part of Government we are proud of is driven by needs of the people and remains steadfastly committed to the empowerment of indigenous Zimbabweans. Indigenisation continues to create an environment conducive for the majority of our people to participate in the mainstream economy, giving them opportunities to explore and realise their potential and have restored unto them the dignity that was theirs, as God the Almighty gave them,” said President Mugabe.
He said the indigenisation drive was meant to reverse the colonial economic imbalances where the country’s economy was dominated by foreign-owned multinationals, which manipulated indigenous people, deprived them of their economic rights and subjected them to abject poverty despite the abundance of rich natural resources in their environs.
On concerns that Matabeleland region was allegedly being marginalised and underdeveloped, the President said all the provinces were the same and the Government was working hard to foster development in all parts of the country.
Said President Mugabe: “Matabeleland people always say thina kithi akula development. They say development is in Mashonaland. Provinces look the same. They all have bad roads, require new schools, hospitals and clinics.
Those in the periphery such as Binga, Chipinge, Dande and part of Mashonaland West and Beitbridge, have been neglected as development tended to concentrate on the inner side of the country. That does not mean eastern provinces are more developed than others. As we stand now almost all provinces are the same.”
President Mugabe said Matabeleland in particular had a lot of economic activities in the form of a big tourism industry, power generation in Hwange and mining activities.
He urged people from the region to partner Government efforts and take advantage of the ongoing indigenisation programmes to improve their livelihoods.
The President challenged the youths and the professionals from colleges and universities to establish new businesses that would have 100 percent indigenous ownership.
He said he was disappointed that a majority of skilled personnel were crossing the borders to work for foreign companies in other countries instead of using their skills to establish new firms and create jobs for many.
Youth Development, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Minister Saviour Kasukuwere said trusts from the three districts would be sustained through the national community trust equalisation fund established under the National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment (NIEEF) as there was no mineral resource exploitation taking place at the moment.
Minister Kasukuwere also challenged people from Matabeleland North to grab opportunities offered by the empowerment programme to change their developmental history instead of pointing fingers at other people.
Speaking at the same occasion, Mines and Mining Development Minister Dr Obert Mpofu commended President Mugabe for championing the empowerment programme and said the initiative was going to help create more jobs for people in the province.
Dr Mpofu, however, underscored the need for new companies to give priority to employing local people than bringing workers from outside the province.
The Minister of Local Government, Urban and Rural Development, Dr Ignatius Chombo said the launch of the share scheme was a milestone towards upgrading livelihoods for previously marginalised communities.
He urged local authorities and chiefs, who are in charge of the scheme, to run it efficiently and desist from abusing the funds.
Dr Chombo said the share scheme would not run parallel developments, but must be coordinated with ongoing projects in the districts.
Matabeleland North Governor Thokozile Mathuthu also commended President Mugabe and Minister Kasukuwere and other stakeholders for making the launch a success.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Media, Information and Publicity, Cde George Charamba, and his Mines and Mining Development counterpart Mr Prince Mupazviriho, Deputy Chief Secretary in the President’s Office and Cabinet, Retired Colonel Christian Katsande, Bulawayo Governor Cain Mathema, Bubi Senator Lot Mbambo, Bubi MP Cde Clifford Sibanda, Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube, mining company executives, chiefs from the province and local authority representatives also attended the launch.
Online Reporter