Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba, [email protected]
IT is not common to have traditional leaders and junior Parliamentarians honoured for their roles in shaping society and contributing to national development. In a digital age where connectivity has become essential and technology is increasingly transformative, traditional leaders and junior Parliamentarians from Kwekwe District have expressed gratitude for a surprise gift from President Mnangagwa.
The beneficiaries received the items last week when Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Owen Ncube, handed over new mobile phones to headmen and Starlink kits to junior Parliamentarians in Kwekwe on behalf of the President.
The event drew excitement, with beneficiaries visibly elated as they received the consignment, which is expected to improve communication and support community development.
The handover included 41 Starlink kits for junior Parliamentarians and smartphones for traditional leaders, complementing the iPads distributed last year.
Traditional leaders said the smartphones would strengthen coordination within traditional structures.
An elated Headman Munashe Dube Nduku said: “This is a game changer for us the traditional leaders. We will be connected, we will be heard, and we will serve our communities better because these cellphones are an enabler of information dissemination.”
Headman Nkonkoni commended President Mnangagwa for the donation, saying it would improve communication from his area with Chief Malisa and the District Development Co-ordinator’s office.
“The donation is set to turbo-charge research capacity, communication, and service delivery at grassroots level, aligning with the Government’s ‘leaving no one and no place behind’ agenda. This move is a masterstroke in the digital transformation drive,” he said.
Mberengwa District Senator Zvipo Masviba said the gadgets were expected to enhance research capacity, improve communication and strengthen service delivery at grassroots level.
“I want to thank President Mnangagwa for availing these ICT gadgets. The Starlink will help in research for students and on current affairs issues. Where I come from in Mberengwa, there is a lack of accessibility to such gadgets and as such, we are privileged to be exposed to such,” he said.
Gweru Urban representative, Michael Ndambani, also commended the donation.
Volunteers under the National Aids Council (NAC) received bicycles and start-up materials for income-generating projects targeting vulnerable groups.
NAC Sister-to-Sister mentor, Mrs Roseline Chinyama, said the equipment would assist in HIV and Aids interventions. With the bicycles, volunteers can transport test kits and medication more efficiently.
“If you check our line of work, we usually work with vulnerable girls between the age of 16 and 24. These people require some start-ups and skills to help them become independent. These machines and sewing materials will address their challenges in a huge way,” she said.
In his remarks, Minister Ncube said the initiative aligns with Government’s Vision 2030 agenda.
“President Mnangagwa envisioned attainment of a prosperous and empowered upper-middle-income society by 2030 underpinned by heritage-based and knowledge-driven innovation, modernisation and industrialisation of the economy,” he said.
