Villagers witness tangible evidence of progress

UMZINGWANE DISTRICT is home to the quaint village of Shale. For years, its resilient inhabitants had been haunted by a lingering fear that President Mnangagwa’s promise of progress and prosperity might elude them. They had watched neighbouring regions flourish under the grand vision of the Second Republic while Shale seemingly remained forgotten, like a black sheep waiting for its turn to be embraced.

But fate has a way of surprising us when we least expect it and destiny finally knocked on Shale’s door. Yesterday, a transformational event unfolded that etched a profound mark on the village’s narrative. The much-anticipated arrival of Matabeleland South Minister of Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Abednico Ncube, brought with it a wave of hope and joy that swept across the region.

At last, the promises made by President Mnangagwa resonated with true meaning as they witnessed tangible evidence of progress. As the sun bathed the ceremony in golden light, a borehole drilling rig roared to life, symbolising the access to a precious resource that had been scarce for too long. A bridge spanning the Nsezi River connected divided communities, enabling them to transport their hard-earned farm produce with ease to distant markets. And standing proudly amid the jubilant crowd, the Shale Clinic, a project conceived in 2 000 but finally realised in 2021, stood as a testament to Government’s commitment to uplift the people’s lives.

It was a day of jubilation and villagers like Sifikile Moyo could hardly contain their excitement. The commissioning of the clinic brought much-needed relief to the community.

“We may not have proper words to describe how we feel today but all I know is that everyone is excited. It has not been easy for us whenever we wanted to access health facilities because the nearest clinic is over 15km and can you imagine a pregnant mother travelling such a long distance? It’s not everyone who has money to afford boarding public transport but now that is all history. This clinic was pegged in 2000 but construction started in 2018 when President Mnangagwa and isotsha (Brig-Gen (Rtd) Mayihlome) took office,” said Ms Moyo.

She said the commissioning of the Nsezi Bridge and Shale Clinic had proved beyond doubt that President Mnangagwa was walking the talk.

“Between Ward 4 and Ward 8 we can now safely cross the river and be able to easily take our farm produce to the markets on the other side of the river. We are also now able to get prompt medical assistance unlike before when we used to walk long distances to access help. We are grateful to our leaders starting with the commander himself, President Mnangagwa, coming to our Parliamentary representative Brig -en Rtd Mayihlome and down to the councillor Ms Alice Dube,” said Moyo.

A youthful Roy Ndlovu said lives of villagers were always at risk whenever they travelled to seek medical help from Sibomvu Clinic.

“We climbed over mountains which are a haven for snakes while some of our mothers would give birth in scotch carts on their way to the clinic which was a very unfortunate if not dangerous situation. What has happened today is confirmation that we have finally reached Canaan as the people of this area and we salute the Second Republic for this,” said Ndlovu.

The driving force behind this transformation was the unwavering commitment of their leaders from President Mnangagwa to Brigadier-General (Rtd) Mayihlome and councillor Dube. Their vision of an inclusive and prosperous Zimbabwe was being realised through meaningful initiatives like devolution funds and the Constituency Development Fund. With $1,2 billion allocated to the Umzingwane Rural District Council and $45 million to the CDF, the wheels of progress were set in motion.

Amidst the exuberant celebration, Minister Ncube’s representative, David Njowa, stressed that the clinic’s commissioning marked a milestone for the Second Republic.

He said it demonstrates Government’s commitment to providing accessible, affordable and quality healthcare to all citizens.

Shale Clinic is located in Ward 8 of Umzingwane District. It services a population of 2 635 people residing in five villages which are Tshalimbe, Diana’s Pools, Zhilo, Dindigande and Shale. Other neighbouring Wards 4, 5 and 6 are also benefiting from the clinic.

The services that are offered by this clinic include outpatient, maternity, education, observations, OI ART, testing and counselling. The clinic is a community initiative which encouraged Umzingwane RDC to implement the project. Construction of the health centre commenced in 2000 and was completed in 2021. “People used to travel long distances to seek services at Sibomvu Clinic thereby increasing the risks of maternal deaths and infant. Some ART and TB patients were defaulting on their medication due to the long distances travelled,” said Minister Ncube.